Seeking the Truth
by Triskelesque
Summary: Julia LaPointe, a journalist for the Gotham Gazette, is making her living by blasting Bruce Wayne in her column The Awful Truth. Why does she loath Gotham's resident playboy, and how does Batman change that? DK, M for later chapters and lang. Try it out!
1. An Inconveniant Truth

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with DC Comics or anything that has to do with Batman in any way.

Also it is good to note that The Awful Truth article is not written by me. It is an article from the Gotham Times Website that is promoting The Dark Knight. It was my inspiration for this story so I used it to kick it off. Again I did not write the article! Also, the line about the Lamborghini is also from the latest viral promotion for the upcoming film. There is a lot of inspiration out there right now! Everything from here on out with be original, I swear!!

The story gets better as you go, and the chapters are much longer. Give it a chance after Chapter One!

* * *

The Awful Truth

By: Julia LaPointe

_What kinds of couches do billionaire playboys surf when their manor is destroyed? Very pricey ones._

_Since the historic Wayne Manor went up in flames, Bruce Wayne has been sighted at some of the most exclusive hotels in the city- but he seems to be spending the most time in the home of his Chief Operating Advisor, Lucius Fox._

_But Wayne is, for once, getting a little tired of freeloading. Word has it that he is looking for the perfect temporary home until the Manor is rebuilt._

_Why not continue freeloading on Fox? After all, Wayne has been freeloading on his family's money all his life. And he's been freeloading on Fox's business acumen in Wayne's playact as "Chief Executive Officer" of Wayne Industries. Maybe Wayne was getting home too late for Fox's taste._

_After all, Wayne is going to all the swankiest clubs, and courting all the swankiest girls. That is, if you call "getting incredibly drunk and stumbling into an awaiting limo" a proper courtship. Maybe Fox sat the young tycoon down and asked him to take his perpetual party elsewhere since Fox, at least, has a business to run._

_The question now is, where will Bruce run off to while he cuts down African rainforests to rebuild Wayne Manor to the splendor to which he is accustomed? Many real estate observers say Wayne should have no trouble renting._

_That is, unless Wayne wants to rent in a tiny co-op, where the boards frown on public drunkenness, carousing, and bringing home every breast-enhanced floozy within driving distance._

_Other apartment buildings won't be so selective. Bruce Wayne may be a dipsomaniac, he may be a decadent rich boy, but he's got money- and that's all that counts in Gotham these days. Real class picked up and fled long ago._

* * *

Chapter One : An Inconvenient Truth?

"What is it today Alfred?" Bruce slid into a chair at the dining table at Lucius Fox's home, battered and bruised from his nightly escapades.

"Well Sir, today you have earned a new fan at the Gotham Gazette." Moving towards Bruce he set the paper next to him with a loud flop.

"Seems that Lucius' kindness has now become public." Alfred moved around the round table and sat opposite of Bruce.

As Bruce looked down to read the paper Alfred kept a close watch at the young mans expressions. As he watched his saw the gradual change he had expected.

"Is this who I think it is?" Bruce looked up at the old man with an expression that exuded dumbfoundedness.

"Perhaps a call to Ms. Dawes would help to answer that question?" Alfred fought a smirk as he saw Bruce's mouth tug at the corners as the young entrepreneur grimaced in thought.

"I don't have time Alfred, not today. Lucius is expecting me in twenty minutes for a board meeting." Getting up from his seat at the table, Bruce threw the paper down on the table. "Perhaps we should go back to the Belmont until we find something permanent? I don't want Lucius in the papers any more than necessary."

"I'll arrange it first thing then. Will you be taking the Tumbler this morning?" He had said it casually as he stood up from the chair he had occupied, as though taking the Tumbler out in broad daylight was an everyday occurrence.

"No not today, I'll take the Lamborghini, I want to be discreet." Bruce smiled as he disappeared through the kitchen and around the corner.

Alfred chuckled as he moved to follow him out the door to yet again arrange their living situation.

* * *

Julia LaPointe walked onto the streets of Gotham with a spring in her step. She had been back in her home town for three months and today was the day of her columns debut in the Gotham Gazette. She was confident that the people of Gotham City would relate to her topic, and felt a surge of confidence as she took to the street en route to work. Moving briskly down the cold and crowded street she heard her phone ringing deep down in the plethora she called her purse.

She ungracefully pulled out her cell, almost falling over in the process, annoying a section of pedestrians she was sharing the sidewalk with. "LaPointe here" Anserwing as she walked, she passively ignored the evil glares from her fellow walkers as she regained her balance.

"Jules, you didn't have to write such a scathing piece on the man." The voice was that of Rachel Dawes, her oldest friend and only link to her past in Gotham.

"I wrote what I observed Rachel, nothing more nothing less."

"Freeloading? Don't you think that was a bit of a stretch?" Julia laughed as she moved along the street.

"Not at all. He's a spoiled, arrogant playboy that's throwing away his money on toys and impressive hotel purchases. I merely used his words against him and pointed out the hypocrisy those words created."

"I'm sure that the upper class here is now in love with you for that." Rachel said dryly.

"I aim to please. Don't you have better things to do than to sit there and chat with me about Wayne?" Julia retorted to her friend cheekily with a laugh.

"Fine, I'll leave you alone about it, for now. We still on for lunch this afternoon?"

"As long as we talk about something other than work."

"Deal, I'll see you at one-thirty." came Rachel's response.

"Send my love to Dent!"

"Bye Julia." Julia could hear her friend rolling her eyes at her on the other end.

Still laughing Julia said goodbye and entered her building making her way into the elevators.

"Thirtieth Floor please." She put her phone back into her purse and took a deep breath. 'Here we go' she muttered under her breath.

* * *

Authors Note: I know this was a bit short, but I wanted to take the temperature of you, the readers, and see what you think. If I continue on (which I think I will) I still wanted to know if you like the idea or not. The next chapter will be the lunch date between Rachel and Julia which I am finding very fun to write. So review and let me know what you think!

Oh, and for those that have read my other Batman Fic "Clarity in Darkness" I am taking a temporary break from that story to get it together. Thanks for your patience!

For those that review, you will get a million cookies from me filled with love!!

-Trisky


	2. Fast Paced

**This chapter is dedicated to my first reviewer, Simusch. Thanks a million for taking the time to review!!**

Chapter Two: Fast Paced

"So, how's Gotham's most passionate Assistant DA this afternoon?"

"Tired, and thoroughly run down." Replied Rachel Dawes, rubbing her hands across her forehead.

Julia looked across the table at her friend. She did look a bit distracted and sleep deprived, but most would when they ate at the ritzy Belmont Hotel. Made for the rich and indulgent, The Belmont Hotel exuded class and standing with its ornate crystal chandeliers and renaissance décor, making two women on their lunch hour stand out slightly. Its beautiful surroundings could make even the Queen of England look a little ragged.

Leaning into the table she whispered, "Dent working you too hard?"

Rachel glared between her hands; smirking a bit as she let them fall to the table. "Perhaps."

"Well Ms. Dawes I never!" Julia cried out as they laughed, drawing some glances from around the room at the mirth they were radiating.

"Its just there is so much going on in the office with the accusations against Harvey right now. There is so much to try and…"

"I thought we said no work talk during this encounter?" Julia reminded, looking at her menu with interest.

"Sorry, work is about all I do these days."

"That and Dent. Oh, wait, does he count? You do work _for_ him." Letting her menu drop, she peaked over the top at a furiously red Rachel.

Clearing her throat Rachel quickly changed the subject. "So are you adjusting to life back in Gotham?"

"Slowly but surely. The apartment is coming along; I unpacked my silverware yesterday, that was monumental!"

"Why am I not surprised? Have you even unpacked a full room yet?"

"Haven't been home long enough to need a working room."

"Ah, the fast life of Gothams society columnist. Having too many late nights are we?"

"Not as late as some of the elitist bastards I've been following." Came her dry reply.

"Good afternoon ladies, what can I get you started with?" Both women looked up at their waiter and ordered salads and white wine for lunch.

They talked, passing the time trying to take their minds off the stresses of work. They talked about anything and everything, elevating each others moods as they laughed and sipped on wine, feeling leisure in their fast paced lives. Julia's mood became shattered though as she looked over Rachel's shoulder, laughing at her friend's inability to read T.S Elliott, and spotted a familiar face.

"Is that Alfred?" she asked. Rachel turned slightly, and smiled.

"Alfred!" She voiced. The old butler was only a few feet behind her, making it easy for her to speak loudly without shouting. Julia was fighting the urge to sink down into her chair.

"Ms. Dawes! What a surprise!" He walked over to them as Rachel stood and hugged him, making Alfred visibly happy with the affection.

"Alfred, you remember Julia?" she gestured with her arm widely in Julia's direction as she pulled away from him.

"As I live and breathe, I thought for sure we had lost you to the west coast for good!" He moved away from Rachel, as Julia stood, giving the man a tight squeeze as they hugged.

"You're not the only one." She muttered low enough to be missed by her companions. She recovered her slip of emotion by saying, "What brings you to The Belmont?"

"Well, Master Bruce and I require somewhere to stay until he decides on a purchasing a more permanent residence."

"Is that so?" Julia didn't even try to hide the amusement in her tone.

Rachel interjected before she could ask if he or Bruce had read her article. "How is Bruce? It's been ages since we've talked."

"He's well, just working as usual; Wayne Enterprises has been taking up most of his time."

Julia snorted into her water glass as she tried to sip demurely.

"It was lovely to see you both," Alfred began "but I should be going."

Julia, who had sat back down, smiled and looked him directly in the eyes. "Make sure to tell Wayne I said hello."

"I think he received your message earlier this morning dear." Shocked by his reply, she averted her gaze feeling a rare moment of guilt stab her chest.

He nodded at Rachel, implying his goodbye. "Ms. Dawes." He smiled and turned back towards the main lobby. Rachel situated herself back into her chair with ease, and took a sip of her wine.

"Looks like someone knows your back in town." And as if on cue, the waiter arrived with their food.

"Bon Appetite."

* * *

Lunch ended too quickly for both women, obligating them both to return to the stresses of a Friday afternoon at work. Julia arrived back at the Gotham Gazette feeling renewed but apprehensive, not having a clue as to why she felt the former.

She plopped down in front of her small desk in the "pit" where she heard the clicks and rhythmic sounds of keyboards all around her. She threw her purse down on the ground and turned around to face her computer. On her screen there was a note simply reading, "_Mr. Norton would like to see you immediately."_

Muttering expletives under her breath, she stood and moved towards her editor's office. The one thing Julia LaPointe did not respond well to was micro managing, which did make her job hard for her at times. She reached the doors to his office and knocked lightly on the door frame.

"Come in!"

Opening the door she stepped in with confidence. "You wanted to see me sir?" She stayed near the door, not coming into the room fully.

"Ah yes, LaPointe. I received a tip this morning that Harvey Dent will be attending the Gotham Inner-City Education Charity Gala this evening."

"Is that right?"

"Yes, and I assume you will be attending?"

"It _is_ my job."

"I need you to escort Mr. Radcliff this evening so that he can observe Mr. Dent."

Julia, having no idea who he was talking about, she looked at the man with a look of total incredulity.

"I'm sorry? Who's Mr. Radcliff?"

Lazily, Martin Norton stood and moved to stand in front of his desk leaning back with his arms crossed in front of him. A man in his late thirties, he was most defiantly not what Julia had expected when they met. Handsome by any woman's standards, he was tall, with dark brown hair that hung down grazing his collar at its longest length, and falling into his eyes in a bohemian manner. His carried himself with a relaxed nature making him approachable by those in his employ, but was none the less a very strict and serious boss.

Settling in, he replied, "Roger is a staff journalist like yourself. He's doing a piece on Dent, and I thought that it would be a great help to him to observe him in a social setting first hand. It's too late to merit an invitation for him, so I thought you would take him as your escort."

"I can't have him bringing any unwanted attention to me Martin. Now that the column's out, people are going to be on the lookout for me. Can he blend in?"

"He will be discretion itself."

"Then I suppose I have no choice." She shrugged and moved away from the doorway she was leaning on.

"Just relay to him that I'll meet him outside the Museum at eight."

"Can I expect another corrosive and witty assessment of our favorite Gothamite?"

She smiled and turned her head back over her shoulder. "You bet your ass." With a sly wink to her boss she moved her way back to her cubicle sitting down to wrap up her previous task.

* * *

After getting home, Julia started with her preparations for the night ahead. She took a lighting quick shower, shaving her legs and moisturizing as ardently as she could. Time had flown by after she had starting working on a feature on Gotham's crime rates, hoping to convince Martin that she was more than able to write serious political pieces. By the time she had even thought of looking at the time it was almost six, leaving her a mere two hours to pull herself together for her social escapades.

Throwing on a pair of jeans and button down shirt, she hurried out the door, her hair still dripping, and practically ran to the elevator in her building. Managing to hail a cab she arrived at Salon D'Autumne to get her hair done in record time. Never trusting herself when it came to hair, she had found a stylist first thing when she arrived back in town. Her position nearly required it of her, considering how many gatherings she attending per week. It was still shocking and unnerving to her how often the social crème de la crème got together, and she was becoming frustrated with how many times she had to visit her hairdresser or buy a new dress. As a woman she naturally loved to shop, but nearly as mush as she loved to stay in and read a good book, or write. She was an intellectual in a petty world by night, a fact that was catching up to her.

"Hey there Julie! What is this, the third time this week?" Her stylist Natalie walked over to her and gave her a brief hug and kiss on the cheek.

"I know, I know. We need to work in a hurry though, I'm terribly behind."

"What's new girl! What do you want to do tonight?" They moved to her chair and starting getting ready. Julia looked in the mirror feeling total indifference.

"Just throw it up and make it stay."

"Aye, Aye!"

Back at her apartment an hour later, Julia moved briskly finishing up her look. She stepped into her dress, pulling her arm behind her to zip it up. It was a hard maneuver but somehow she managed. She shifted and slipped on her heels. Glancing in the mirror on the wall opposite her, she paused and evaluated her efforts. Her hair was pulled back loosely and pulled in into a messy although well put together french twist. It complimented her wide halter neck gown that clung to her curves, billowing a bit down towards her feet in a mermaid style. Choosing the gown for its color, she knew that burgundy looked stunning on her because of its ability to compliment her chestnut hair.

"Not bad LaPointe, not bad at all." She smiled into the mirror before grabbing her purse and coat, and made her way to the door.

* * *

"Ms. LaPointe?" Julia turned to see a man tentatively looking down at her.

"Radcliff is it?"

"Roger." He replied, taking her extended hand and shaking it. He didn't miss the firmness of her hand shake, noting that she most likely wasn't a woman to mess with.

"Well in that case call me Julia." Eyeing him with interest, she felt relief sweep over her. Her impromptu date for the evening was not hard to look at it the slightest. He was taller than her, making him at least six feet tall, epitomizing talk dark and handsome. Wearing glasses played down his ravishing good looks making him more serious, balancing his sexuality with aloofness.

Her visual administrations did not go unnoticed by him, and he coughed a little in his hand to break the silence between them.

"Shall we then?" Julia snapped out of her daze, with what she hoped was ease, and linked her arm in his. They moved up the stair outside to the entrance of the Museum. Once inside they made small talk for a bit, filling each other in on their objectives for the evening before they separated. Both had decided to keep their ears open and alert for one another of anything pertinent to either one of their stories.

Julia had wandered around the exquisite ballroom for around a half hour, extracting information subtly from numerous members of the glitterati as she so lovingly called them. Spotting Rachel enter with the infamous Harvey Dent, she made her way across the room to the other side, needing to actually speak to someone with substance.

"Rachel!" Tapping her friends shoulder, she spoke with desperation.

Rachel turned, her jaw immediately falling an inch or two at Julia's appearance.

"Julie you look gorgeous!"

"Why thank you, you don't look too bad yourself. Trying to impress someone are we?"

"One could say the same about you."

"I have no idea what you mean." Crossing her arms in front of her, Julia challenged her statement. "Are you talking about my date?"

"You have date?"

"Don't sound so surprised Dawes."

"You never go on dates."

"Ok so it's not a real date, but my god, I wouldn't mind if it was."

"Who is it?"

"Roger Radcliff, we work together at the Gazette. He needed to get in here tonight to interview your lovely Mr. Dent."

"He'll have his work cut out for him, everyone's ambitious to monopolize Harvey's time tonight I'm sure." Rachel turned around grabbing the arm of the man in question, turning him to face Julia.

"Speaking of… Harvey I would like you to meet my dear friend Julia LaPointe, Julia this is Harvey Dent."

"Please to meet you Mr. Dent." Shaking hands they both eyed each other curiously.

"So you must be the writer from the Gotham Gazette that I've been hearing so much about."

"The one and the same." Julia smiled.

"I read your column today, very witty."

"Thank you, I felt good about it I assure you." Wanting to seize the opportunity to help her colleague she acted interested in the seemingly up and coming District Attorney.

"So, how is the campaign coming Mr. Dent? Not getting to caught up in the frenzy are you?"

Rachel stared at Julia mouth agape at her friend's change of topic.

"I try not to be apart of the "frenzy" as you put it."

"Is that why your here tonight, to stay segregated from the spotlight?" No one could have missed the sarcastic tint to her voice.

"Harvey, I would love a drink." Rachel interjected, her eyes fuming.

"Of course, what would you like?"

"Champagne would be lovely, thank you."

"It was nice to meet you Ms. LaPointe." Harvey nodded in Julia's direction and walked towards the bar.

"Pleasures all mine."

As soon as he was out of ear shot, Rachel leaned in and reprimanded the woman in front of her.

"What do you think your doing?"

"Giving the man a hard time."

"Give him a chance Jules, he's a good man. He really wants to see change in Gotham."

"Are you kidding? He has an appeal I grant you but he's as fake and insincere as the rest of them."

"I would rather live without embarrassment tonight, so please, lay off with you opinions and be pleasant."

Julia met her fiends gaze and conceded. "Fine, I'll try. For now though, I think I need to get back to work."

"How do you do it?" Rachel said with a graceful chuckle.

"It's all about networking dahling!" Julia dramatically waved her hand and spun around moving to a circle of what Rachel suspected as prey for the journalist. Shaking her head, she made her way over to Harvey, looking forward to their night together.

The evening was passing by uneventfully, that is until the Prince of Gotham made his way into the gala. People flocked to Bruce Wayne like a moth to a flame. No one missed a chance to throw themselves at the richest man in Gotham City, no matter how pathetic they may look. At the time of his arrival Julia had moved to a hallway near the powder rooms swapping information with her "date" Roger. Not wanting their absence to be noticed, they kept it quick, and within minutes they were moving back into the masses of people, searching for the table they were seated at. Dinner was about to begin and Julia felt thankful, she was a bit fatigued by her consistent acting. She found their table and was relieved to see Rachel amongst those she was seated with.

She sat down, sighing inwardly as her feet instantly thanked her. The table was elegant, glittered with tea light candles and an elaborate centerpiece boasting willow and hydrangeas. It was a short arrangement so as to see others around the table for socializing,

"Now who looks worn out?" Rachel smiled across the table.

"Are you telling me that I don't look good?" Julia retorted

"No you still look great, just tired."

"It's been a long day, I would love nothing more than to go home and sleep until about Sunday." Julia leaned back in her chair, resting an arm on the back of it carelessly.

She looked over at Rachel, surprised she hadn't retorted with some comment about her laziness. Instead, Rachel was paying attention to something behind her, looking puzzled and a little over-whelmed.

"Rachel, are you ok?"

Before she could follow Rachel's gaze a voice behind her made her freeze instantly.

"Julia?" Taking a deep breathe, Julia turned around to see none other than Bruce Wayne wearing an amused, yet shockingly smug look on his handsome face.

"Bruce."

* * *

**Authors Note: Thank you to everyone that reviewed! You all receive sugary goodness filled with love! I hope you like the update, sorry it took me as long as it did. I had midterms this week and dallied a bit after they were over. If you have time, please drop me review and let me know what you think! I will be dedicating each chapter to whoever reviews it first as a thank you. Also I would like to take the time to thank you all individually, so to...  
**

XxSuperGlxX

Chris St Thomas

Vilofied

ohiojones

CarlyJo

**Thank you all again for your input and encouragement, you guys Rock!**

**Much Love, **

**-Trisky**


	3. We Meet Again

**Dedicated to the lovely ****CarlyJo****! Thanks for reviewing, you are a rockstar!**

Chapter Three: We Meet Again

_She looked over at Rachel, surprised she hadn't retorted with some comment about her laziness. Instead, Rachel was paying attention to something behind her, looking puzzled and a little over-whelmed._

"_Rachel, are you ok?"_

_Before she could follow Rachel's gaze a voice behind her made her freeze instantly._

"_Julia?" Taking a deep breathe, Julia turned around to see none other than Bruce Wayne wearing an amused, yet shockingly smug look on his handsome face. _

"_Bruce."_

**xxXxx**

It had been almost eight years since Julia had seen Bruce Wayne. She knew when she accepted her position at the Gazette she would have to do articles on Gotham City's leading man, but she never lost hope that she might not have to actually speak with him. It may have been naïve but she thought if she wished hard enough it would come true, obviously she hadn't wished nearly hard enough.

"I'm glad to see you returned to Gotham." Bruce stood with hands in his pockets casually assessing his childhood friend.

Julia's feet protested as she rose from her chair and slowly offered her hand to him. He took it, never tearing his gaze from hers as they shook hands politely.

Finally capable of speech Julia responded back. "Same to you, although your absence was most likely more notable than mine I'm sure." She saw the flicker of hurt flash in his eyes, momentarily knocking him away from his cool reserve. He recovered quickly though, masking his face and hiding his emotions as he always did. 'Some things never change' she thought.

Rachel, watching the interaction between her two oldest friends, had risen and made her way to them in hopes that she could break the palpable tension.

"Bruce, it's good to see you." She gave him an innocent peck on the cheek, but lingered a bit longer than what Julia thought to be appropriate. Rachel saw Julia's quizzical brow and slightly shrugged as if to say, 'it's not what you think'.

"So Alfred said that you and he are staying at The Belmont until you find something permanent?" Rachel inquired.

While Rachel attempted small talk with Bruce, Julia picked up her wine glass, desperately needing a drink. As she took a rather large pull of the sweet liquid Bruce had dealt his casual blow.

"Yes, I thought it was best that I stop freeloading off others and find a place of my own."

Julia ungracefully sprayed her drink, belatedly raising her hand to her mouth to try and contain the liquid.

"Excuse me." Swallowing her pride, Julia made her way to the ladies room using her spluttering as an excuse to exit the increasingly awkward encounter. She moved with grace as she crossed the room, swimming through crowds of people, trying to ignore the two sets of eyes that were undoubtedly following her. Right as she was reaching her haven someone grabbed her arm and pulled aside.

"Are you ok?"

She looked up into the eyes of Roger Radcliff. "Thanks, its nothing. I just acted like an idiot and spilled a bit of my drink. Any luck getting the scoop on Dent?"

"No, it would seem that you've talked to him more than I have."

Feeling bad she said, "When I get back stay close to me, I'll do my best to get you a moment with him. I can't promise anything though."

"Thanks, now go clean yourself up. Can't have my arm candy looking shabby" He whispered.

Julia laughed softly. "I'll meet you at the table; I might need a few minutes."

"Are you sure you're ok?" He didn't seem convinced by her tone.

"Peachy." Using that as a segway, she turned and made her way into the ladies room.

Once inside she moved to the counter, bracing her hands in front of her leaning toward the mirror. "Get a grip Julia, what in the hell is wrong with you?" She spoke to her image, hoping to reclaim control over her emotions; emotions she thought had been buried long ago.

She stood there taking deep breathes, thinking quickly of ways to avoid Bruce for the rest of the night. She may have to write about him, but she'd be damned if she had to endure his haughty company all night. 'What happened to him?" She thought; he was a far cry different from how she thought he would have turned out as an adult. This is what plagued and angered her most of all.

'He first disappears without a word, and then reappears as a rude hypocritical playboy as if nothing happened.' Trying to shake away her thoughts, she grabbed a dampened wash cloth from the complimentary stack on the counter and dabbed at her face, being careful of her make up.

Feeling a bit more relaxed, Julia made her way out of the women's room, and with renewed confidence started towards the main opening where the cliques of people started.

"It's nice to know you think so highly of me Julie."

Spinning around, she saw none other than the man of her thoughts yet again taking her by surprise.

"What is it with you Wayne? Do you pride yourself on scaring women half to death?"

Bruce moved forward, closing the large gap between them with each step.

"It's good to see you." He avoided her snappy comments refusing to take her bait.

"I wish I could say the same."

"I have to ask, what exactly have I done to fall out of your good graces?"

"Do you really even need to ask that question?" She hissed at him.

"This is the first time in eight years we've spoken, yet I have already been fortunate enough to receive a hard slap from your column this morning. I have to say your reoccurring theme of freeloading was more amusing than anything I've read lately." He moved closer to her putting them only a few feet away from each other.

"Bruce, why did you follow me over here?"

"I wanted to make amends. We were once friends, good friends, and I would love to know what you've been up to these last few years. Rachel told me you moved to California."

"You sealed the future on that friendship when you disappeared." She ignored his inquiry and looked him straight in the eye, standing as tall as she could. Her resolve was returning and instantly her hard impenetrable shell was back in place.

"Ah. I take it your still angry with me."

"Why wouldn't I be you conceited, arrogant..."

Julia was interrupted by her colleague before she lost all control of her scathing tongue.

"Good evening Mr. Wayne, would you mind if I stole away my beautiful date for a moment?"

Roger grabbed Julia's arm and made his way with her in tow to the dance floor. She was clearly about to explode in front of everyone and he knew that was the last thing that either of them needed. He was curious to say the least about her encounter with the famous playboy of Gotham, but thought better about pressing the topic too much.

He turned her with a flourish and intertwined his hands within her own as he began to move elegantly to the slow music.

"So LaPointe, what was that all about?"

"Thank you, I think I was about to spontaneously combust." Slowly, she was regaining the ability to breathe.

"So you don't want to talk about it then?"

"To be honest," She thought for a moment and laughed. "I would rather talk about work."

Roger laughed and twirled her making her squeak with surprise. "Nice moves Radcliff, pulling out the big guns I see."

"Might as well make a splash while were here eh?"

They continued to move to the music, enjoying each others company. It wasn't long until they moved their banter to work, discussing with humor their findings through the gossip grapevine.

"So Martha Matheson was talking about how she had every intention of marrying her daughter off to Bruce Wayne as soon as she could, and Clara MacDonald couldn't hold her tongue about her fathers under the table dealings with Barty Binns."

"You managed to extract more dirt than I tonight Radcliff; you seem to have a knack for socializing with this crowd."

"Your one to talk, you've spent more time with Harvey Dent tonight than I have. Did he say anything note worthy by the way?"

"Nothing yet, just his normal theatrically contradicting self."

As they continued dancing, they were both oblivious to the watchful eyes of Bruce Wayne.

* * *

Roger and Julia made their way back to the elegant table after two dances together, thinking it was best that they get back to work. The round tables champagne colored embellishments enhanced Julia's outfit, the candlelight from the table also casting a glow on her pale skin as she took her seat. The entire room was illuminated with dim light, sheer fabric covering the ceiling in a romantic billowed fashion, creating old world romanticism.

They had come back to the table during what Julia assumed was a heated debate. The key players seemed to be people she knew. Rachel looked interested if not indifferent, Harvey Dent was currently the engaged party speaking with conviction, and the third participant was undoubtedly a cool, unwavering Bruce Wayne. They both settled in, and waited for an opportunity to engage in the topic. It didn't take long for Harvey Dent to say something that sparked a reaction from Julia, she had barely gotten comfortable before she heard him say, "You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain."

"Are you planning on dying for Gotham then, or living long enough to be its demise Mr. Dent?" She smiled sweetly at the man in question, and drew a glass of champagne to her lips.

Bruce, who had been leaning back in his chair, casually observing the scene in front of him, laughed outright. He had felt a similar reaction to the future DA's words.

'Leave it to Julia to call him out publicly' he thought with an inward grin.

"I plan on doing what I can to make Gotham the place it once was Ms. LaPointe." He glared at her with his eyes but kept his plastered smile and tone of voice.

"That's a very diplomatic answer to an easy question Mr. Dent. By 'what you can do' do you mean to imply that the end justifies the means?" She was backing him into a corner, hoping to for once get an honest answer out of a man of politics.

"I do not condone the use of illegal actions to get results, if that is what you're implying." His grin was fading, and his sticky sweet voice was losing a bit of its luster.

Julia put her glass down, and set her hands on the table, trying to hold on to her composure.

"One could argue that Batman is doing more for the demise of known mob bosses than you are. What would you say to that?"

"I would say that that your earlier phrase of the end justifying the means would apply more to his methods than my own."

"Really? He has no need for the support of known crime lords, making it easy to say that he won't be as susceptible to corruption. A man with a political agenda on the other hand would be a bit easier to sway don't you think?"

The table had gone silent. Julia hadn't meant for the conversation to go as far as it had, but she was sick and tired the entirety of Gotham putting their faith in the man so blindly. She looked to Rachel who had gone white at her friend's accusations, making Julia feel guilty for the second time that day. She had promised to try and hold her tongue, and she had tried, but she somehow found that this man infuriated her.

"Rachel, I think its time we called it a night." Harvey stood up and reached for Rachel's hand.

"Yes, it was good to see you all. I hope you have a lovely evening." Grabbing Harvey's arm, Rachel shot a glare at Julia that made her thankful that looks could in fact not kill. She sent an apologetic smile her way, hoping that she knew that she didn't patronize her date on purpose.

Roger leaned into her then and whispered in her ear as she watched Rachel disappear in the sea of bodies. "That was brilliant; you stunned Harvey Dent into silence."

She turned and looked at him with a sly smile. "All in a days work." She retorted with a chuckle.

"So, you believe in this bat creature?" Bruce interrupted, hoping to engage his old friend in conversation.

"He sure does a hell of a lot more than you do Wayne."

"My name is Bruce."

"Your name is also Wayne." she fired back.

"I prefer Bruce."

"I prefer Wayne." She shot at him without looking at him.

"Now I remember why I never won arguments with you" he muttered with a smirk.

Luckily her back was turned; otherwise he would have seen the small grin that had appeared on her lips.

* * *

Julia had been home for no more than five minutes before she heard her cell phone ringing across the room. She darted across her living room in nothing but her underwear, grateful that she was finally out of her restrictive gown. Beauty had its fall backs, and suffocating dresses and pained feet were among them.

She pulled her phone out quickly for once, and flipped it open. "LaPointe." She answered swiftly.

"Julia Elizabeth LaPointe! What the hell were you doing tonight? Do you have any idea how screwed up that was?!"

"Ah, Rachel, I was wondering when you were going to call." She remained casual even though her heart was racing, Julia hated when she disappointed people she loved, and as she had feared she had done so tonight.

"Why did you have to berate him like that?"

"Rachel, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you or make your date so uncomfortable. I just couldn't agree with what he was saying."

"You didn't have to be so venomous about it though Julie."

"I really am sorry. I just lost my reserve tonight, and I put my frustrations into that discussion. I am sorry Rachel, but I have to tell you that I don't like the man, and most likely never will."

Knowing that Julia was truly sorry, she decided to move to another topic, knowing it would do no good to either of them to talk about Julia's personal feelings toward her boss.

"I take it that your encounter with Bruce rattled you?"

"How could you tell?"

"Well the fact that you ran out of the room like there was a fire behind you was my first indicator."

"Thank you, for that." Julia replied icily.

"He didn't just rattle you Jules."

"What happened?" Julia was instantly unnerved that Bruce may have upset Rachel.

"You know how things have been between Bruce and me; tonight I told him that there would never be a chance."

"Good, let him rot."

"Julie, he's a very good man, if you tried you might be able to salvage your lost friendship with him."

"I learned long ago that I can live without his friendship Rachel."

"What happened between you two that has made you so bitter towards him?"

Julia thought for a moment. She had debated with herself for years about whether or not she should tell Rachel. After all, she hadn't hated him when she thought he was dead, it was only after he turned up alive that she felt such hate toward him. Rachel had never asked her why, a fact that she loved about her friend, she never pried unless she had no other choice.

"It was the last time that we saw each other." She started, deciding that it was time to get it out in the open. She took a deep breathe and closed her eyes remembering the last day she had seen Bruce.

* * *

**Authors Note: Yay! Thank you all so much for your kind and generous reviews! I cant believe I wrote two chapters in one day! I actually have half of chapter four done as well, I just cant seem to stop! **

**A tasty delight goes out to:**

**Simusch**

**XxSuperGlxX**

**Vilofied**

**Thank you for your reviews, keep em' comin'! **

**Again, thanks for all the love, and I will try to update often. Oh and because I love you all so much I will give you a little teaser for the next chapter!**

_"Did you just kiss me? What the hell is wrong with you?!" -Julia to Bruce Wayne_


	4. Princeton Days

**This chapter goes out to ****XxSuperGlxX! ****You are lovely, thank you!**

* * *

Chapter Four: Princeton Days

_It was a radiant day to be outside. The sun was warm and inviting, encouraging all students at Princeton University to study outdoors. Julia had perched herself under a tree with a stack of reading materials. Finals were rapidly approaching, and she was starting to feel the urgency to study. She had her back propped up against the large trunk of the massive oak tree she was under, with her attentions completely focused on understanding what it was that Nietzsche was saying._

"_What an asshole!" She exclaimed aloud, once she came to understand what the philosopher was trying to convey._

_A shadow rose in front of her, blocking out the sun. _

"_I take it you don't like what you're reading?"_

"_Bruce this man is a dangerous idiot!"_

"_Ooh, that's the worst kind." He grimaced as he sat beside her, mimicking her posture against the tree. _

"_Supposedly Hitler was inspired by him."_

"_Dangerous idiot indeed." He agreed. _

_Julia laughed glad to take a break from her studious intentions. She closed her book and set it aside, turning to face her best friend._

"_So, what brings you to my tree Mr. Wayne?" she used his surname to tease him, expecting laughter, but instead was greeted with silence. _

"_Bruce, what's wrong?"_

"_The hearing's tomorrow."_

"_Oh god, Bruce." She leaned in and put an arm around his shoulders in sympathy and comfort._

"_Alfred wants me to come and stay with him at the Manor for a few days after."_

"_That sounds sensible."_

"_It sounds like hell." Bruce dropped his head, looking defeated and tired. _

"_Will Rachel be there?"_

"_Her boss is the one that's fighting to set the bastard free."_

"_Bruce, I'm so sorry." She thought for a moment then added, "Should I come with you?"_

"_No, I need to do this on my own." _

_Julia looked at Bruce assessing what she could do make him feel better, or better yet, distract him. She was almost certain that nothing could actually make him feel better._

"_Do you want to go out tonight then? We could get some take out and eat down at Carnegie Lake."_

"_Do you mind?" Bruce looked at her uncertainly, kicking himself for appearing so weak._

"_Are you kidding me? You're saving me from this chauvinistic jerk!" She lifted up her copy of Nietzsche and threw it at him. "I should be thanking you."_

_Standing up, she brushed off her faded jeans and bent down to gather her things. _

"_Meet you at the rocks in twenty minutes?" Books in one hand she reached her other down towards Bruce. He grabbed her hand and pulled himself up. _

"_What do you want to eat?" He started walking beside her as they strolled in the direction of Woolworth Hall._

"_I think Chinese is the winner." She turned and waved over her shoulder as Bruce fell behind her and made his way to get them dinner._

_xoxoxoxOxoxoxox_

_An hour later, Julia and Bruce were finishing the remains of their dinner, digging down to the bottom of the white boxed containers scraping up the last bits of food. _

"_Suns going down." Bruce observed as he looked out at the lake. _

"_I can't believe it's already so late, I guess I didn't realize how long I was out under that tree." _

_Bruce was staring straight ahead, obviously lost in thought._

"_Bruce?" she asked beginning to worry that her plan of cheering him up hadn't worked._

_Without warning Bruce turned and softly laid his lips on hers. Taking her head in his hands he deepened the kiss, tangling his hands into her wavy brunette hair. _

_Julia was so entranced in the kiss that she had forgotten who she was kissing. She pulled back suddenly staring wide eyed at Bruce._

"_Did you just kiss me? What the hell is wrong with you?!"_

_Instead of speaking he leaned in again and took her lips with his own, relishing the feeling of her soft, entrancing lips._

_She pulled away again, knowing that nothing good could come of what was happening. _

"_Bruce, do have any idea what your doing?" She looked at him quizzically trying to make him see reason. It wasn't as if she didn't want to kiss him. If she was forced to be honest she had wanted to kiss him since she was fifteen years old, but she knew why he was doing this. He was lonely, and needed to fill that void with something that made him feel whole. _

"_I was kissing you." Was the simple reply he offered her._

_He had no idea that this was killing her inside. Julia had wanted Bruce for years, but knew that his heart rested with their friend Rachel Dawes. It was taking all of her willpower to not give in and just relish the idea that he might be hers, if only for a little while. _

"_Bruce, this isn't right. You'll wake up in the morning and kick yourself and you know it." Never once did Julia think that she would be turning down the man she was in love with. _

'_Wait? Did I just say I love him?' she thought. 'Oh this just got a lot more complicated' was her next musing._

"_How do you know I will regret this?" He stared into her eyes, realizing for the first time what color they were. _

'_Green with light blue around the iris. My god she's gorgeous.' Bruce tried to concentrate but found that he couldn't while he kept her gaze._

"_Bruce what are you saying?" His words had shocked her. He couldn't possibly mean that he had feelings for her, could he?_

_He sat there on the ground, looking just past her. They sat that in silence, a silence that was slowly killing every last vestige of sanity that Julia was holding on to. She sat there though, not wanting to be the next one to speak. _

_He moved his gaze up to her face, her hair illuminated by the setting sun; he looked at her and answered her, not knowing if was doing it because he meant it or because his spirit was desperate for any sort of love. _

"_I'm saying I want you."_

* * *

"The next morning he left for the hearing, leaving me a note by my bed. He said that he was sorry for what had happened that night, and that he hoped I knew how much he cared for me. He said we would talk about it when he came back, but he disappeared instead."

Without her permission, tears were flowing down her cheeks at the memory of waking up to that note. She was now sitting on her couch with her knees drawn in, covered by her favorite blanket with her phone still held to her ear, waiting for Rachel to say something.

"Everything makes so much more sense now." Rachel's mind was reeling with the information she had just heard.

"Like what?" That was definitely not the reply that Julia was expecting Rachel to come back with.

"When I told you about Chill and what happened after the hearing, about Bruce having the gun."

"Oh, yeah. When you told me that I knew; he didn't think he was going to come back. I was his last opportunity to be with someone before he thought he would go to prison essentially." It made Julia sick to even think that he used her that way. He had been the only man she trusted, and he had completely broken their life long friendship in the course of one night.

"Oh Julie, I'm so sorry." Rachel could hear her friend's sobs, and wished she could castrate Bruce for what he had done to her.

"After a year I really thought he was dead. I couldn't hold what he did against him, but when he strutted back into Gotham like he had never been gone…" she was sobbing louder now, not caring if Rachel thought she was crazy or weak.

"Rachel I spent years trying to forget him and forget what happened. Then he came back and you could tell all he wanted was you." her voice had dropped to a whisper as she spoke that last part.

Julia's last words drove into Rachel's chest like a jackhammer. Her closest friend had been in love with a man that loved her instead, and that she couldn't love back because he had hurt her by disappearing that day as well. 'Things like this just don't happen in real life' Rachel thought.

"Jules your right, he is an ass."

Hearing Rachel swear made Julia chuckle weakly. It felt great that her friend was defending her, and it felt even better to finally be free of all the weight that she had felt for so long.

"Thank you for listening. You have no idea how much money you just saved me."

"Really? How is that?"

"After seeing Bruce tonight I thought I might need to see a therapist. Thanks for saving me hundreds of dollars."

Rachel laughed, grateful to hear her friend's humor again. "Do you want me to come over? If you still need to talk it through, I can come and stay the night for old time's sake."

"Thanks, but I think I've had enough of the old times for tonight, I really just want to sleep and stay that way for about a week."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm pretty sure that as soon as I lay down I'll be gone."

"Alright, get some rest. If you need me just call."

"Do you still want to have brunch on Sunday? I know I was a bitch earlier at the Gala but…"

"Bitch or not I will never make you eat brunch alone."

Julia laughed loudly, knowing that Rachel's appetite would always win out over her mind. "Good night Rachel."

"Night Julie."

* * *

Staying true to her words, Julia slept soundly into Saturday afternoon, spending the rest of the day holed up in her apartment reading and stewing in her memories. She had put off confronting her emotions for the better part of a decade, hoping that she would just get over it. So when Sunday came she was more than ready to make contact with the outside world and meet Rachel for their brunch date. A normally social person, the lack of human contact for only the one day left her craving it, and she felt giddy just at the thought of giving or receiving even just a hug.

Groggily she moved about finding pieces of her outfit strewn across her bedroom. Picking up her cleanest pair of jeans, she slipped them on and trolled lazily through to the bathroom to take care of her hygiene routine. Moving fast she picked a low cut, casual black t-shirt and her fitted burgundy jacket and began moving towards her front door. She wanted to be on time, knowing that she was always late for get togethers of any kind. She could leave on time to be somewhere, and something always seemed to happen en route to make her dreadfully late.

This morning happened to be the first time since she'd been back that she was actually early to meet Rachel for anything. Not seeing her anywhere she grabbed a booth for two near the back of the café, happy to find that specific area of the eatery to be secluded and private. Knowing what they were going to talk about, Julia didn't want to look like an idiot in case she began to cry again.

"Is this seat taken?" Julia was pulled away from her thoughts by a voice to her left.

"Yes actually, I'm waiting for….." the wind was knocked from her gut as she looked up at Bruce.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she whispered.

He moved into the booth seat opposite her, shifting to make himself more comfortable. He didn't answer her question; he simply grabbed a menu and began looking at its contents.

Infuriated by him she asked again. "What the hell are you doing here?"

He answered, "Eating brunch, I'm starving."

"Bruce would you just stop being so evasive and tell me how you knew I was here?"

He looked up at her, his face turning serious. "I can't tell you that."

"Why, afraid I might kill the woman your in love with?" she knew, without a doubt that Rachel had been apart of this.

"No, I'm afraid you might harm Rachel." She did not miss his distinguishment of their relationship.

"Well I hope you enjoy your meal, see ya around." Julia moved out of the booth, and started to walk away when she felt herself being pulled back by a hand gripping her wrist.

"Sit down Julia, if you run I'll find you, your only delaying the inevitable." He looked stern and unwavering, thoroughly aggravating Julia's patience.

She looked at him challengingly while she contemplated her options. She could walk and leave him behind or she could stay and see what their talk resulted in. She felt like she would be taking the easy way out if she left and then belatedly thought 'If I stayed than he would finally get a piece of my mind.

"Fine." Refusing to disguise her anger, she pulled her wrist from his grasp and made her way back and sat down. Taking off her jacket, she set it aside with her purse and made herself comfortable. Once settled in, she folded her hands on the table and looked at him straight on.

"So? I'm all ears Mr. Wayne."

Bruce looked over her carefully, taking in her in for the first time since he'd seen her at the Gala. Every muscle in her body was tense demonstrating just how angry she was, if he needed any other indication. He knew that this was going to be hard for both of them, but accepted the necessity of it. Of all the things he had done in his life, nothing plagued him more than what he had done to Julia. She had always been there for him after his parent's murder; taking him out of the darkness he had created around himself and making him see some sort of light. He took her years of friendship and kindness and threw it in her face all those years ago, having no idea what had happened to her in the process.

"Bruce listen, I don't have all damn day so if you could please just say what you have to say, that would be great."

"Why did you move to California?" It wasn't the best place to start he thought, but it was better than nothing.

"I went to Berkley."

"Why didn't you finish out at Princeton?"

"I hated it there."

"You loved it there."

"Not when everything I saw reminded me of you."

"Julia I…"

"No."

Bruce stopped and tried to assess what to say next, luckily he was saved with the sound of her voice.

"You used me."

Keeping her gaze, he said, "I know."

"Did you know how I felt about you or was it a lucky guess?" She tilted her head down trying her best to keep control over her heated emotions.

"What do you mean?" Bruce was looking at her intently now.

Julia decided to not pursue anything involving her feelings for him, as she then saw he was in fact ignorant.

"Our friendship meant everything to me Bruce." Her voice was lower, dark with emotion and resentment.

"It meant everything to me too Julie."

"Don't you dare say that! You have absolutely no right to say that to me." She practically shouted at him, leading to some curious glances from bystanders seated in the café. "You didn't have any intention of coming back to school or coming back to me and dealing with the mess you created did you?"

"No. No I didn't."

They sat there in a tense silence, neither one of them knowing what to say.

'I _am_ sorry Julie."

She looked at him then, conflict written in her eyes. Her heart wanted nothing more than to accept his words and regain his presence in her life again. Her mind on the other hand wanted to slap him and tell him that sorry would never be enough for how he treated her.

"Sorry isn't enough Bruce, it never will be." As she got up and grabbed her things, making her way for the exit, she stopped next to the table leaning toward Bruce.

"You made me think that you wanted me, all of me, and then when you had me you left. You always said you wanted to protect me, but you hurt me more than any other person could have."

Bruce waited for a moment, letting her words sink in before he replied, "I did what I thought I had to do, but believe me it wasn't my intention to hurt you in the process."

Julia stood still for a moment, letting his words swim over her. 'What he had to do?' she thought. Anger was flooding her veins, making her feel cold on the inside; wanting to leave before she caused a scene, she started walking with determination out of the café. Halfway across the dining area, she realized something; there was one question that she wanted answered before she left, a question that had plagued her for years.

She turned around abruptly and made her way back to Bruce. Slamming her free hand on the table she asked him in a low voice.

"Why did you sleep with me that night?"

Julia watched his face transform, never settling on an emotion before he regained his calm reserve.

"I needed you." Bruce stated with a simplicity that made Julia's blood boil. She lifted her hand and slapped him hard across the cheek, causing the whole restaurant to look in their direction.

"Did you ever once think about how I might feel?"

"Julia, let me explain."

"I think I have all the explanation I need Bruce, have a nice self-indulgent life you piece of shit."

With that she turned and left the eatery deciding to put Bruce Wayne behind her once and for all.

* * *

**Authors Note: I want to thank you all for reading thus far! This story has received such a fantastic response and I couldn't be happier!**

**I hope you all liked this chapter, I know I did...it was a bit hard to write parts of it though. I have never written so much of a story all at once before, but I am having such a blast with Julia.**

**A huge thank you and shout goes to all my reviewers:**

**Vilofied**

**Ohiojones**

**Silence is Silver**

**Gaia-drea**

**hotredhead**

**You are utterly fantastic! Keep the reviews comin'! The more reviews I seem to get, the harder I work on chapters, which means I post faster! For those that aren't reviewing, I still want to thank you for reading my story and I hope that your enjoying it!!**

**Here's a little sneak peak:**

**"You bought the whole building? What _is_ it with you and buying entire city blocks like monopoly?" -Julia to Bruce**

**"You look nervous." -Joker to Rachel**


	5. Wrong Place

**This Chapter is Dedicated to the awesome Simusch! Thank you millions for reviewing ;)**

Chapter Five: Wrong Place…

* * *

Weeks had flown by since Julia's encounter with Bruce. She hadn't spoken to him or Rachel since that Sunday, livid at her friend for setting her up in such an awkward, emotionally tearing situation. Opting to stay inside her apartment for most of her days, she worked on her columns and little side pieces that she hoped, if convinced, her editor Martin would put to press sometime. Her column The Awful Truth had been extremely well received by the public, boosting the selling rates for the Gazette higher than that of the Times. This fortunate career victory led to an increase in her publications, making her one column a week turn into four per week, thus securing her social quota on the weekends.

Sitting at her desk, with sunlight beaming into the room from the open window behind her, Julia stared at her screen with frustration.

"I have a degree in Journalism and Political Science for god sakes! Why the hell am I writing about Bruce Wayne's current social life?" Screaming at herself she picked up a book that was near her and threw it across the room.

Walking away from her laptop angrily, she made her way to the kitchen hoping some tea would help calm her jittered nerves. Moments after rising from her perch, she heard a soft knock at the front door, making her freeze in the middle of her dining room.

"Its Roger, open the door."

Laughing at her reaction to the knock, she made her way over and looked through the peep hole checking just to be sure.

"What's the password?" she said with a mock serious tone, hoping for a certain answer.

"I believe _Chinese food _is the correct password today." He smirked as Julia's front door opened like lightning, revealing her in her pajamas.

"I forgot you were coming by." She closed the door behind him as he walked in with a box filled with fragrant food.

"I thought you might have." He smiled knowingly at her, understanding how their work could distract them for hours. It was one of the major things they had in common.

"Here," she motioned to her living room, "I want to sit in here where it's comfortable."

They sat down and Julia immediately started dishing out the food, unwilling to wait; the aromas rapidly taking over her senses.

"Alright, so we need a game plan for tonight." Roger looked over at her noticing how disheveled she looked. He appreciated that even in her ratty t-shirt and baggy pants; she still looked unbelievably attractive, maybe even more so when she didn't try. He stopped his train of thoughts, knowing that the route was potentially dangerous. 'No. I will not have feelings for her' he thought.

"What do you mean? I thought we could just show up and wing it." She stuffed food into her mouth, sighing with content, completely oblivious to what was going on in her co-workers brain.

Roger laughed.

"What's so funny?" Julia asked with a mouthful of Chinese.

"I thought you were kidding!"

"I really think we just need to extract information subtly. Why try to keep to a plan, these parties always bring unexpected circumstances Roger, trust me I know."

"Are you ready to talk about what happened?" he abruptly asked. She turned to him, trying to mask the emotions she knew was evident on her face.

"What do you mean?"

"I know we haven't known each other long, but I would like to think that we can trust one another."

Julia looked him over, contemplating what to say, "I don't trust anybody, that's the problem." was her reply.

"I see then. He really messed you up didn't he?"

Julia wondered when she became so obvious, mentally beating herself up for not having a stone face. "He's not the only one."

"I won't push it, but only if you stop moping and take a shower or something, because my god… you smell." His comment was met with a pillow connecting with his face, and the laughter of the woman next to him.

"Alright, I'll go shower but only if we play Scrabble when I finish up."

"Are you in need of an ego boost?" he groaned.

She pulled herself off the couch and walked in the direction of her bathroom walking with a casual yet arrogant strut. "Scared are we?"

"Take a shower, and then get ready for me to take you down."

"Oh yeah right, like that'll happen!" Entering the bathroom, she quietly closed the door turning the lock.

Roger sat back on the couch letting out a loud sigh after he heard the shower running. 'I finally find a fantastic woman, and she's hung up on someone else' he thought. He rubbed his chin, contemplating his feelings which were not few while he rested back into the couch. He thought she was attractive, that went beyond saying but he still couldn't figure if he had romantic feelings or friendly ones toward his colleague.

The phone began to ring, pulling him out of his troubling thoughts. Not knowing whether or not he should answer, he stayed put and waited for the machine to pick it up.

"_Hey, you've reached Julia LaPointe…leave a message if you want me to call you back!"_

BEEP!

"_Julie, its Rachel. Listen, I know that you're still upset but you have to talk to me eventually. It's been weeks, and I want to explain what happened so that you might understand why I set you up the way that I did. Either way I want you to know how sorry I am that I meddled and I hope to talk to you soon. _Please_ call me back." _

'What's going on with Julia and Rachel Dawes?' he wondered. They seemed so close. 'Maybe that's the reason she's been so edgy these days.' He continued thinking as he got up and grabbed the Scrabble board in preparation to be assaulted by Julia's uncanny knowledge of words.

* * *

Julia's heart began to race; very uncharacteristically. 'I am not looking forward to this.' Was all that ran through her head.

She and Roger made their way into the building where Bruce Wayne's Penthouse resided, moving across the small and empty lobby as they approached the elevator.

"So this is where Gotham's Prince lives now? Pretty shabby compared to Wayne Manor I would think." Roger spoke conspiratorially into her ear as they entered the elevator, trying not to let the operator hear the conversation between them.

"Poor Wayne had to settle for a mere Penthouse…I feel so bad for his grievances." She said back to him, earning a laugh in return.

"Names please?" The operator was facing them, waiting for them to announce themselves.

"Oh, excuse me, Julia LaPointe and Roger Radcliff." she offered formally.

"Oh yes, right, right…" The man looked down at his list finding the names of the two occupants of his elevator. While he was distracted by his search, Julia looked over at Roger and made a series of haughty faces and movements making him bark with laughter.

The operator turned to see what the outburst was about, but Julia was quick to act like nothing happened. She stood elegantly with an arm looped through Rogers and smiled politely, faking innocence.

"You'll be received on the twenty-fifth floor, you may check your coats when you enter, that will be to your right when you step off." He then closed the doors and up they went up for what Julia knew was going to be a more than interesting night. Although, she had no idea just how interesting.

When they reached the desired floor, they stepped out into an atmosphere that reeked of sophistication. The foyer they entered into was dimly lit, making Julia feel strangely uneasy. Roger took her coat and made his way to the coat check while she waited off to the side. She recognized his return when she heard a sharp intake of breath from directly behind her, making her turn about with a jump.

"Roger! Don't sneak up on me like that! Do you have death wish?"

"I didn't mean to, you just…you…wow." He kept looking at her wanting to know how she did it.

"Oh..." she began to understand just why he was stumbling over his words, and grinned. "Do you like it? I wasn't sure…"

"You look utterly gorgeous. You do realize that men are going to be falling at your feet right?"

He continued staring, eyes roaming up and down her body like a complete fool. She wore a light emerald green gown that flowed around her like she was a Grecian goddess. Metallic golden straps came down from her delicate shoulders and swooped low in a u-shape neckline, drawing an elegant line that accented her very noticeable breasts. The bodice was ruched, bringing style to the dress that would otherwise seem plain, her waist being highlighted by another metallic gold band going around her body. As he looked her over, the only thing that he could think was she made him ridiculously aware that he was in fact a man.

"That wasn't my intention, but I suppose it's a pretty good bonus considering how much the damn thing cost." She had to say something to make him stop staring at her like that, knowing that the moment he realized how he was ogling her he would be terribly embarrassed.

Literally shaking himself he extended his arm and smiled. "Shall we enter the lions den?"

"I suppose we have no choice." Taking a deep breath, Julia made her way into Bruce Wayne's Soiree.

* * *

They moved about robotically, socializing with practiced gusto as they tried to extract juicy information that would be adequate for any of their current stories. Julia was finding it increasingly difficult now that she had made a name for herself with her weekly columns. Conversations were staying unnaturally neutral, people now aware that their personal business might end up in the editorial section if they said too much. As she walked about she kept a look out for Rachel and Bruce, wanting to avoid them if at all possible.

Julia strolled leisurely, wine in hand, through the expansive and roomy Penthouse, cruising the crowds looking for an interesting circle of conversation to join.

Hearing a familiar voice, one she hadn't heard in years, she turned toward it and looked for a face to match it. Her eyes settled on a man in his late forties talking to prominant members of society such as Commissioner Loeb and Dana Worthington, a fierce competitor against Harvey Dent in the election of the new Gotham City DA. 'Why is this man seem so familiar?' she found herself wondering, and then it all fell into place.

"Mr. Gordon?" she said rather loudly. The man in question turned and she felt her mood instantly lighten.

He looked over questioningly, searching for who had spoken his name. Seeing this she moved with intent in his direction, as she did so he turned back into the conversation taking place, shrugging off the unidentified outburst. She made it over to him and tapped his shoulder tentively.

"Excuse me are you Detective Gordon?" he turned and looked into her face, his eyes fluttering with recognition.

"Julia? My god, how are you?" exclaiming with mirth he pulled her into a friendly embrace.

"Wonderful! It's been so long, how is your family doing? Your little girl must be huge by now." Her huge smile spread from corner to corner as she looked at one of her families closest acquaintances.

"Barbara is twelve now, and doing great. Eileen and I also have a little boy; he'll be three in September." His shock was still evident in his face and tone. He hadn't seen Julia for almost seven years, and he most certainly had never seen the woman that was standing before him.

"Time flies doesn't it?" she looked at the older gentleman in front of her and was temporarily short of speech. She now remembered the last time they had seen each other, another memory she would rather forget.

Seeing the change in her demeanor Gordon gently took her elbow as a father would and turned with her back to his acquaintances. "Let me introduce you. Julia this is Commissioner Loeb, Dana Worthington, and Lucius Fox." She shook their hands as she was introduced, smiling and nodding with each interaction.

"It's very nice to meet you all." Feeling a bit intimidated, she waited for someone to say something, which thankfully didn't take long.

Lucius Fox was the first to speak, making Julia say a silent thank you. "Ms…I'm sorry I don't think I caught your last name, what is it you do?"

Julia sipped her wine in a quick fashion, drawing the glass down to answer. "LaPointe, Julia LaPointe. I'm currently a journalist with the Gotham Gazette." Fox's face changed, his mouth developing into a curve almost resembling a smile.

'He's heard of me' groaning inwardly she awaited his comments on her first publication, dreading his opinion of her words. Lucius Fox was one of the influential residents of Gotham that she actually had come to respect.

"I've heard quite a bit about you, your column is making a very distinct impression on Gothamites these days. 'The Awful Truth' is it?" Dana Worthington interjected.

"That's the one."

"You've been writing quite a bit on our host these days."

"He seems to be a popular commodity." Julia retorted with ease, proud of herself for being able to talk about Bruce with such indifference.

"That he is Ms. LaPointe." Smirked Fox.

Commissioner Loeb joined in with a smile, "Aren't you nervous Ms. LaPointe? No doubt Mr. Wayne is aware of your literature against him."

She smiled wickedly, "Not in the least bit sir."

"I don't think anything could make Julia here nervous." Bruce Wayne said as he turned from his ending conversation a foot away from their own, moving to join them.

"Ah! The man himself!" Loeb exclaimed.

Julia's good humor disappeared. 'How does he do that?' Her thoughts couldn't be helped, considering he always seemed to casually take her by surprise.

"Do you two know each other?" Worthington inquired.

"Unfortunately." Murmured Julia.

"What was that dear?"

"Yes, we've known one another since we were children." Came Bruce's answer, saving Julia from the explanation she clearly didn't want to offer.

"This is a lovely place you have here Mr. Wayne, when did you acquire it?" Dana Worthington asked, changing topics.

"We closed a few weeks ago." Bruce answered absently, his focus clearly not on the conversation.

"Does anyone currently share the building with you? It seems like a newly developed building." Spoke Gordon, including himself in the discussion.

"It's just me and Alfred, after the Manor's rebuilt I plan on having Wayne Enterprises take over the building for research and science purposes."

Before Julia could stop herself she blurted out, "You bought the whole building? What _is_ it with you and buying entire city blocks like monopoly?"

Bruce laughed quietly at her loss of tactfulness, taking her comment with rehearsed ease.

"I am so sorry; could you excuse me for one moment?" Knowing she wouldn't be capable of keeping her mouth in check, she excused herself and looked for Roger.

Instead of finding her date though, she came remarkably close to running straight into Rachel and Harvey Dent, who seemingly had just arrived. Her chest abruptly became tight with anxiety and she decided that she needed to find somewhere quiet before she lost her rationality to her overwhelming nerves. She moved about the modern space that the guests occupied, looking for a restroom or side room to disappear into. Whilst on the move, she ran into Alfred (literally, she had been looking over her shoulder for the last ten minutes hoping that Rachel hadn't seen her.) who was busying himself serving guests drinks.

"Oh I'm so sorry Alfred! I wasn't looking!"

The butler looked at her and smiled. "Worse has happened, don't you worry."

"Actually can you help me? I need to find somewhere quiet to sit for a moment." She was beginning to feel breathless.

"Are you feeling alright?" he inquired with the worried expression she had come to know in childhood.

"Just a little woozy, nothing to worry about." She waved a hand dismissively at him.

"There's a small library straight ahead and then to the right. No one should disturb you there dear." His warm voice had calmed her minutely, helping her to take a deep her first deep breath.

"Thank you." Julia gripped his shoulder affectionately and moved towards what she hoped would be her momentary solace.

Creeping into the room, she groped for a light switch yielding no results. She gave up, and closed the door to the small room which encased her in darkness, and rested against the wall, letting her head fall back. She took one deep breath, her head becoming dizzy as she did so. Sighing, she rubbed her temples and gradually felt herself relaxing.

She heard a noise from across the room, instantly taking away her moment of peace. She stood still waiting for another noise just to make sure she wasn't hearing things. Then very suddenly the lights snapped on causing Julia to cover her eyes with the back of her hand, protecting her retinas from the shock of brightness.

"Hiding from me?"

"Do you plan these encounters Bruce?" she said irritably, letting her hand fall from her eyes as she adjusted to the light. She saw that he was leaning against the wall in a similar fashion directly across from her.

"How could I? I was already here when you walked in." Begrudgingly she admitted to herself that he had a point.

"I didn't mean to bother you, I'll go." She made for the door, wanting to get away as fast as possible.

Bruce decided that this might be his only opportunity to corner her into letting him speak, so he told her the truth knwoing that was the only way to get her to stay. "I was scared."

She froze with her hand on the doorknob, hesitating after his admission.

"Do you think that justifies anything that you did?" Turning, she saw that he had moved nearer to her, but still maintained a comfortable distance away in the book lined room.

"I don't expect anything from you Julia; I just want to tell you why I did what I did."

She thought for a moment, and realized that she had never heard his perspective. 'Not that it's gonna change how I feel' she added bitterly to herself.

"You have five minutes Bruce."

He looked up at her, shock written into his features. It looked as though he hadn't expected her to agree. Wasting no time he started talking.

"Do you want to sit?" He gestured at the couch and chair in the center of the room, and she shook her head declining. He stayed where he was, leaning his head back as he began to talk.

"When I came to you that day and sat with you under the tree, I had come to see you one last time. You were right, I had no intention of coming back, but I didn't want to leave until I had seen you though. I need you to understand Julie, I had no intention of letting things go the way they did. I valued you more than anything at that point in my life."

His admission floored her, she couldn't believe it but he did if fact sound sincere. 'No! No. It still doesn't change what happened' she fought inside her mind to keep hating him.

"You have a fucked up way of showing it Bruce."

"When we were at the lake, I…you were so…" He stopped himself, needing to collect his thoughts.

"I felt something that night, with you, something that scared the hell out of me." He practically forced out his words, visibly struggling with his appearance of vulnerability.

Suddenly, Julia felt a realization hit her.

"Bruce stop."

"What?"

"What you did was wrong; you used me and showed a total disregard for our friendship. But what I think hurt the most was that you vanished without warning, not giving a second thought to those around you."

"I did what I had to do Julia." His tone changed, becoming more aggressive. Julia sensed that this was a sensitive topic. As soon as she heard those words again though, she felt herself snap like a fallen branch.

"What you had to do? What the hell did you _have_ to do for seven years?! You've never said anything to anyone about it since you got back to Gotham! Jesus Bruce! I thought you were DEAD!" She didn't know when she had begun shouting but she had, and it felt good.

"Even though you treated me like a common whore I think I forgave you for it, because I'm a stupid IDIOT! Who's to say I wouldn't have done the same thing if I thought I was off to kill someone and go to prison." The last part she directed more at herself than at Bruce.

"By the way," she turned to look at him. "What the hell _were_ you thinking?"

"I wasn't at the time." Before he could help it he smirked at her, clearly loving her outburst.

"Wipe that smirk off your face Bruce before I do it for you."

"You threaten me in my own home?" He teased.

"How could you leave us like that Bruce?" she returned to the topic she had been ranting about, desperately seeking a resolution to her feelings.

He moved closer to her, hoping she wouldn't recoil. "I needed to find something, a part of myself maybe, and I had to do it alone Julia." He was starting to realize what it was that really hurt her.

He inched toward her instinctively, wanting to make her understand. "I didn't leave because of you, and there's nothing you could have done to stop me from leaving either." He was directly in front of her now, so close that they could both feel the heat radiating off their bodies.

He was close, dangerously close in her opinion. "Bruce…" was all she could manage to say. 'What was happening to her cool defensive self?' She muttered from within.

'_Get a grip LaPointe!_' she shouted internally.

"Bruce, if you didn't mean for it to happen then why did it?" She changed back to their earlier topic, her need to let go of their past overwhelming her.

"I told you," Bruce placed his arms on either side of her, gripping her arms lightly. "because I wanted you." He started to lean in to her and she was unable to move. She looked into his eyes as he came forward, knowing that she should still be yelling at him.

They were broken apart though by the sound of a gun shot, a shot that sounded dangerously close to where they were.

"Bruce was that what I think it was?" He had moved away from her hastily and made for the door. He left the room. Julia stayed put, but then after a few seconds thought better of it.

She stepped out of Bruce's library expecting to see him on the other side, but he wasn't there.

"Bruce?" she whispered. "Bruce?" she tried a bit louder. That's when she heard the shouting coming from the direction of the party.

Then she heard the most sinister voice she could have ever imagined. "Good evening ladies and gentleman, we're tonight's entertainment." The voice cackled the phrase out, as if intended to taunt.

She moved her way into the crowd just in time to see a man in a purple suit approach Rachel, who stood defiantly in front of him. 'What the hell are you doing Rachel?' she wondered looking closely at the scene in front of her. That was when she saw the gleam of the knife in the attacker's hands as he raised it up to Rachel's face and spoke.

"You look nervous."

That was when everything took a turn for the worst.

* * *

**Authors Note: I would like to first off say that I am sorry I didnt get a chance to send personal replies to those of you that reviewed, but know that I love ya and your comments were duely noted!**

**I understand that some of you may have questions about Roger Radcliff, and all I will tell you is that "all good things come to those who wait." ;)**

**Thank you to the following kick butt readers who have been reviewing and makin' me feel like I'm not the worst writer in the world:**

CarlyJo

hotredhead

XxSuperGlxX

Vilofied

Silence is Silver

ohiojones

**Thank you all for the consistant reviews and concrit, your all helping way more than you know!**

**So what did you all think of this chappie? Julia's a bit more personable (because as much as I love her tough side, she's got a soft and vulnerable side as well) and we start to see a bit more of Bruce and hear a bit from his perspective. Was it good, bad, great, the worst thing youve ever read? (God I hope not!) Let me know what ya think!**

**Sorry no Quote from the next chapter, I havent written it yet but I will ASAP!**

**-Trisky**


	6. Wrong Time

**Hey CarlyJo! This one goes out to you for being awesome and reviewing! This chapters pretty intense, so I hope you enjoy it**

* * *

Chapter Six: …Wrong Time

Julia surveyed the situation in front of her with unease. She moved inward, trying to close in on the edge of bodies that now surrounded Rachel and her attacker. Things were being said between them, but time seemed to have slowed in her mind as she fervently tried to concoct a plan of action.

"I don't like where your heads at LaPointe." A voice whispered into her ear.

"Roger what happened?" She turned into his arms and spoke to him quietly, her body language acting as though she were in a comforting embrace and not devising something potentially hazardess.

"They just stormed in, the only alert we had was when he fired a shot in the air." Roger indicated the man they called the Joker with a look in that direction.

"I need to help Rachel."

"Do you want to get yourself killed?" He hissed.

"Someone just needs to create a distraction, if I can do that maybe someone can call the authorities."

"Rachel's going to be fine."

They both turned to view Rachel standing resolutely, seemingly annoyed with the man in front of her.

"She's going to get herself killed Roger! I have to do something." She made up her mind and without hesitation she stepped out of the crowd toward Rachel, the purple suited mans back facing her.

"Hey!" She cried out, causing everyone around them to gasp.

"Hey!" she yelled again. The Joker turned then, keeping his knife at Rachel's face.

Before he could speak Julia went on. "What the hell do you think your doing?"

"Hold her." Was the only comment he set forth. He had spoken with a note of finality and casualness that sent gooseflesh up her entire body. Before she knew what was happening she felt hands grab at her and pull her arms behind her back; she struggled and flailed with hopes that she could free herself.

"Leave her alone!" Rachel yelled as she moved forward trying to move past the joker. He grabbed her and pushed the edge of the blade he was holding to her throat.

"I wouldn't move if you wanted to keep that pretty face." He growled at Rachel, immobilizing her efforts. She stared past him looking at Julia, pleading with her eyes to make her friend stop whatever foolish plan she had. Julia however paid no attention; her only goal at present was to cause a scene.

"I said, what the hell do you think your doing?" Julia repeated, her struggles ceased by the two lackeys that held her.

"Julia stop it!" came Rachel's strangled voice.

"You want to mess with someone, mess with me." Julia said darkly surprising even herself with the invitation.

"_What the hell _am_ I doing?" she thought with her first real shiver of fear._

A cackling laugh broke the chilly silence that had befallen the crowd at Julia's words. The man they called the Joker turned to her then, revealing his disgusting contorted face, making Julia gag at the sight.

"Have fun boys." That was all the attention she was given as a fist connected to her stomach.

She doubled over, her natural urge to block herself stunted by the mask wearing man that held her. Before she even had time to recover she was assaulted again, this time with a kick to abdomen, taking away all ability to breathe.

She fell, broken to the floor. They had released her arms as she collapsed, desperately trying to suck in air. Dropping her head to the floor she felt waves of pressure pound in her head begging her for oxygen, and right as she thought she might die from the pain in her lungs she managed a small intake of air.

She tried to swallow the blessed feeling quietly, not wanting to alert her assailants to the reality that she could take a stronger beating. '_What now LaPointe?' _her head cried.

"Julia!" she heard Rogers cries of alarm in the distance, her head too fuzzy to gage how close he was.

Turning her head carefully, she saw that the men who had held her were now dealing with a livid Roger Radcliff, giving her another opportunity to distract the danger away from Rachel. With strength she didn't know she had, Julia pulled herself up and did the only thing she could think of – she jumped on the back of the infamous Joker.

He fell forward almost crashing into Rachel with the force of Julia's weight as she began wailing on his back. Not being one to deal with the antics of his victims the Joker reacted immediately, resulting in the neat and effective disposal of Julia from his back, causing her to land on the floor with a sickening thud.

She laid there, her head in a complete and total fog. The only thoughts that kept running through her mind were things along the lines of 'what the hell have I gotten into' and 'I must have a death wish.' Her sense of sarcasm and cheeky nature still present even in her inner dialogue.

Before she could even bring herself back to the present though she felt excruciating pain stab her abdomen yet again. Her vision was blurring, making it impossible to see what was happening to her, but all she needed to know was that it was hurting her. After what seemed like an eternity it stopped, making her groan in relief.

The Joker laughed with a sadistic glee as he repeatedly kicked the woman before him without pretense. Once satisfied that she was in fact dead or passed out he moved back to Rachel ready to abstract what he needed from her. He turned and found, with surprise a fist connecting with his stomach.

"A little fight in ya, I like that." Was his desire filled reply to her retaliation.

"Then your gonna love me." The Dark Knight's reply was venomous as he threw a punch, the impact of which practically knocked over the shocked sadistic villain.

Rachel moved out of the way with haste and moved toward Julia's still form on the floor opposite her. The Joker's men, being distracted by the appearance of the caped crusader, gave Rachel the opportunity she needed to reach her friend and pull her out of the way of the ensuing fight. She dropped down to the floor and felt at her neck for a pulse.

"Julie?" she whispered.

Wheezing, Julia tried her best to respond through her hazy state. "Rachel."

It was all the reply Rachel needed. She grabbed Julia from behind, pulling her up with her grip in her armpits. Keeping her hold, she began to drag her in the direction of Roger who was himself injured and sitting on the floor looking dazed as he wiped blood carelessly from his lip.

In her struggles with Julia, Rachel had paid little attention to the fighting that was now taking place right in front of her. She kept pulling, Julia trying to help as she came to, pushing with her feet to get away faster. They both had been so involved in their efforts that neither noticed the shouts from the people on the sidelines trying to alert them.

Julia felt Rachel's grip on her disappear, and as a result she fell back with a loud thud. Turning her head she saw a masked man dragging Rachel away by her hair as she grunted and tried with all her might to elbow him in the ribs. Julia sat there while she fought for the control of her limbs; trying with a very loud grunt to push herself up with her hands behind her. She moaned in agony as she triumphantly pulled her torso upright, but her achievement didn't last long. She had just managed to sit up when a set of arms grabbed her roughly and unceremoniously pulled her to a standing position.

The scene was eerily quiet as the inhabitants looked on at what was before their eyes. On one end of the room, Gotham's most respected Assistant DA was held back by two men in masks with two knives at her neck, on the other side was Gotham's up and coming star journalist with two knives standing at attention at her neck and torso. In the center was the Joker and a still as water Batman. The room was stagnant, not wanting to provoke any ill fate for either of the women that were possibly at deaths doorstep.

"Let them go." Came the intense growl of the Batman.

The Joker retorted with a blood curdling cackle that made the crowd around them cringe in fear, including the women held captive.

With a nod of his head in Rachel's direction, the two criminals holding her shifted positions now only one was holding her as the other made to stand in front of her, his posture suggesting an air of impending violence. As this was happening the Joker made his way to Julia, his eyes never leaving Batman's as he moved backwards. He reached her and grabbed her tightly at the waist and began moving backwards again, this time with her in tow. They were moving in the direction of the terrace, the cool night air hitting Julia's arms as she was herded through the door. She was beginning to get her vision back, and the sight before her made her scream out with everything she had.

"RACHEL!"

* * *

The man they called the Batman had been surveying the situation carefully. Julia had watched as he made to move in the direction of Rachel, he moved with a quick grace thought to be nearly impossible for a man with his build, but he had not been fast enough.

Rachel's face contorted in pain and shock as she felt the knife go into her side, the hard texture of the blade grazing a rib as it slipped into her. The masked lackey pulled it out and shoved it back in a little higher, causing her to finally cry out in pain. He removed the blade once more but before he could continue with the fast assault Batman had grabbed him and threw him with a might that scared all into the wall opposite from where they stood. Rachel fell to the ground, blood oozing out down her body and on to the floor. The second crony tried to sprint away, but was no match for an irate bat. Catching him by the neck, Batman showed no mercy as he slammed the man's head into the wall, letting him crumple to the ground unconscious.

He knelt down briskly and looked at the numb and broken body of Rachel Dawes, but was snapped out of his momentary lapse by a scream from the balcony. He rose and ran in Julia's direction, knowing that he wouldn't be able to do anything for Rachel that couldn't be done by others in the room.

He reached them as they approached the edge of the building, the lights of the Gotham City skyline illuminating them from behind.

"Leave her out of this." He growled, announcing his presence.

The Joker sat a crying Julia on the ledge, a hand pressed threateningly at her abdomen.

"She has nothing to do with this. Let. Her. Go." As he spoke he braced himself for his attack.

"Hmm, I think I will." Without even looking at Julia, his shoved his hand into her belly pushing her over the side of the building.

Without hesitation Batman dove over the side, disregarding the manic laughter of the demon that had pushed Julia over. He pushed with his body weight trying to move faster as he shot down the side of the building like a bullet. He reached her and grabbed her waist as she struggled against the velocity of their decent to put her arms around his neck. Just as her hands locked around the mysterious Batman they were jerked to a stop in mid air causing another scream to escape her mouth. They were dangling far above the street, Julia having no idea how.

"Hold on." The man in the dark suit spoke.

Julia nodded wide eyed as he pulled something off his belt and aimed it above them. Again without warning, they began moving upwards, moving quickly back in the direction of the terrace. Julia kept her eyes closed and held on for dear life as they moved, shock overriding all rationality or awareness of what was actually happening to her.

They reached the edge of the terrace that she had just been pushed from, both of them grabbing the ledge, Julia's waist still gripped tightly by Batman. He was holding on with one hand while the one resting around her dug into her side as he pushed her up and over onto the deck. Swinging his arm over, he pulled himself over merely seconds after Julia fell onto the rough concrete ground. He moved without a noise into the Penthouse, leaving Julie sitting with her back to the wall of the balcony motionless, while tears began to fall down her face.

Everything happened too quickly after her return to the top of Bruce Wayne's newly acquired home. After Batman disappeared from her view, she was ambushed by many people all at once. Lieutenant Gordon was the first to get to her, placing a jacket over her shaking shoulders and gripping her in comfort. He asked her questions as another person came to her and began administering pokes upon her person, occasionally asking her questions about if she was hurt badly. She didn't respond to any of it, instead she stared straight ahead and kept her mind blank. Too much had happened in the last half hour of her life and she thought that there was no way she could sort it all yet. It wasn't until she heard the words Julia and hospital together that she said a word.

"No." she muttered.

"Julia?" Gordon looked into her face trying to read her expression.

In between shaky erratic breaths she continued, "I..dont…….want to…go to the….hospital."

She began to cry then, body shaking sobs that made her curl into Gordon, putting her head in his shoulder.

"Lieutenant?" Alfred came into view, pushing through a mess of bodies as he approached.

"Alfred?"

"Let's take her inside sir, perhaps let her lie down. If the shock doesn't kill her the chill might." Alfred bent down and put an arm around Julia, replacing Gordon's and let her move into him for comfort, allowing the Lieutenant to stand.

"Can you help her inside? I need to start sorting some red tape." James Gordon looked down at the broken form that had been laughing and merry only an hour ago.

"I think we'll manage just fine." Alfred said as he made to pull Julia upward. He succeeded but she faltered, staggering against them as they moved into the Penthouse. As they moved Julia could hear throngs of questions being thrown her way, and Alfred politely telling them to give them room. He closed the door to a room she didn't recognize, helping her to sit down on the bed that took up a huge portion of the space provided. He went to move away from her when she grabbed his arm with a desperate force.

"Rachel?" she asked quietly

The old butler knelt down before her and replied just as quiet. "They took her to the hospital."

He clasped his warm hands around her own in reassurance. "They don't now how bad it is yet, but she was breathing when they took her."

Tears started rolling down her face as she stared past him at the wall. "Roger?" she whispered.

"Hospital." Was all Alfred could say.

"Please don't leave me Alfred." The pleading in her voice broke the mans heart.

"I'm not going anywhere my dear, you just rest."

She leaned back into the pillows on the bed turning on her side, curled up into a ball still gripping Alfred's hand and closed her eyes.

* * *

Julia awoke with a start breathing heavily, sweat dripping down her face. She looked to her right expecting to see Alfred, but instead saw Bruce Wayne sitting in a chair next to the bed eyes studying her in worry.

"Are you alright?" Bruce broke the silence, but didn't move to her like she anticipated.

She put a hand to her aching head and spoke softly so as not to irritate her headache further. "Do you know anything about Rachel?"

"She's in the ICU, it doesn't look good." He kept himself emotionless, sealing his feelings out of necessity. He had almost lost both of them tonight, the two people that meant the world to him, the two people he had let down years before.

Afraid to ask anymore questions about Rachel she asked about her date. "What about Roger? Alfred said that he was taken in too?"

"A few stitches and some broken ribs is all I know." He was trying to keep himself calm, but it was starting to feel like a losing battle, his emotions were having a harder time being buried than normal.

"What time is it?" Julia shakily asked.

"What the hell were you thinking?" He didn't yell, but his voice held a note of menace, irritation, and anger that went right through Julia.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean why did you get involved? You could have died Julie." Getting up from his chair he came and sat on the edge of the bed she resided on.

"I couldn't just leave her out there with that maniac! Someone had to do something!" she said defensively.

"And that person just had to be you right?" he retorted back with a tone of pure agitation.

"Where were you, huh Bruce? At least I was there trying to do something!"

He was silent then, trying to figure out his next move. He decided on changing the subject a little bit. "You didn't answer me before, are you alright?"

"Oh sure, I feel like a truck impaled me, I was punched and kicked, and thrown off a twenty something story building….hmm yes I'm just fine Bruce."

She moved to get off the bed then, but was held firmly in place by Bruce.

"Stay here, your not going anywhere."

"Oh really?" looking up into his face, she could tell he meant business.

"Really." He kept her gaze, not even so much as blinking as he stared into her eyes.

"Bruce…" Before she had time to think she lunged at him and put her arms around his solid muscular frame. She didn't cry, but her breath's came in short little gasps as if she couldn't find air.

"Breath Julie, its ok, your ok now." He held on to her, seeking his own private comfort out of the embrace.

They sat there, wrapped in each others arms the shock of the nights events washing over them. _'I could have lost her'_ he thought.

It was close, closer than he would have liked. He expected the unexpected with this new criminal, but last night was shocking even to him. Bruce had learned how to be emotionless when he put on the cowl, and for the first time last night he almost lost his firm grip on rationality and logic. The guilt at not reaching Rachel was overwhelming him, making him angry at himself for the delay in his actions. That one moment of contemplation could have spared her from the knife that may have taken her life, not to mention what could have happened if he hadn't reached Julia in time. This criminal they called the Joker was going farther than any other before him; his vigilante anarchist methods throwing Bruce off.

A soft snore pulled him from his thoughts making him look down at a softly sleeping Julia. He moved to lay her back down, but she gripped his shoulders hard.

"Stay with me, please?" her voice was heavy with exhaustion as she spoke.

Without saying a word he moved with her in his arms and made to sit back on the bed. They shifted and Julia put her head into his shoulder and drew herself closer by crossing her leg over his.

"Bruce?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry I scared you." she said drowsily.

He didn't respond, he just held her bit closer, not having felt so relieved in his life. He savored the comfort that only Julia seemed to give him, knowing that as soon as she was asleep again he would have leave….like he always did.

* * *

She did fall asleep, waking hours later alone in the sunlit bedroom of Bruce Wayne. Moving away from the glare of the sun she yelled in pain as she rolled onto a sensitive spot on her side, the sensation reminding her of last nights events. She sat up then, a sleep induced headache beginning to throb at her temples. She rubbed her head, and stood up nervous at what she might see outside the bedroom.

Making her way through a small hallway, she recognized the library she and Bruce had spoken in thus giving her a direction to follow. She was greeted by the glare of the sun again, its bright rays billowing through the massive windows that lined the entire wall that boasted the damnable terrace from last nights deathly encounters.

It was silent, the only noise being the padding of her feet on the marble floor.

"Bruce? Alfred?"

"Julie?" Finally a voice broke through making the uneasiness she felt disappear.

"Alfred, good morning."

"How are you feeling dear?" he took her gently by the elbow and guided her to a small round dining table that had a selection of fruits, juices and coffee.

"I've been better I think." She attempted a wry smile, trying to force down her weak feelings.

"Here, sit and put something in that stomach of yours. I wasn't sure what you liked so I put out a bit of everything."

"You are truly something Alfred." True to his character he brushed off the compliment with ease, being careful not to appear rude.

Julia noticing this changed the topic. "I would love to get home and change, I want to get to the hospital as soon as possible."

"I'll drive you, after you eat something."

"Some things never change huh?" she said as she took a bite of toast.

"Some children grow up but still never listen huh?" He retorted, clearly mocking her.

"Touché. Speaking of never listening where's Bruce?"

"Wayne Enterprises, he had a rather important meeting this morning I'm afraid."

"Oh." Trying not to sound disappointed or aggravated (she couldn't honestly say which she was feeling) she took a sip of her orange juice and resumed eating her toast.

"Alfred, do you know anything about this creature they call Batman?"

"Just as much as the papers write I suppose." He lied.

"Hmm, right." Lost in her thoughts, that was all the reply she could manage.

Alfred moved into the kitchen a feeling in his gut making him feel uneasy. He had a feeling that Julia LaPointe had just uncovered a mystery that someone as inquisitive and intelligent as herself couldn't just pass up. He looked back to see Julia, head in hand and deep in thought.

'_This can't be good' _he thought.

* * *

**Authors Note: So here's the Update! I hope it didnt let anyone down to terribly! So I have ideas as to where I want this to go (the story that is) but I would love to hear what you all expect. Based on the way the story has gone so far what are you anticipating? If I find that it feels right I might go a bit in that direction. This part of the story is a bit maliable, the later events are fairly thought out...anyway...thanks for the love and support, starting around mid June the updates will only get more and more frequent. This one was late due to a ridiculously hard US History Exam that took me the better part of a week to finish! Damn the American Revolution I say!**

**I didnt get to reply to you lovely reviewers so I want to send my love to ya now!**

XxSuperGrlxX

Vilofied

ohiojones

Ally

VincentandYuffy4ever

remuslives23

**You guys are so great you don't even know, so many of you have been reviewing since the beginning and it hasn't gone unnoticed. **

**A very special thank you has to go to ohiojones for his great constructive criticism and story ideas, you have been most helpful love!**

**Also, if your interested check out ohio's Batman fic called Gotham Knights, he's posting it for class credit and could use some feedback!**

**Again loves,**

**Trisky**

* * *


	7. Authors Note

Hey guys

Hey guys! I am truly sorry for not updating! I was trying to update by today (which did not happen, hence the lame and apologetic authors note!) but I have been more than busy. I didn't realize just how much I had on my plate; my sisters getting married and I'm her Maid of Honor and also the real reason I wont be able to update will be because of the road trip that I am leaving on almost right this second!

Thank you so much for your awesome reviews, I promise that I will have some chapters posted soon that hopefully you will find to have been worth the wait! So please don't stop the reviewing' when I get back, I swear that the story is getting really, really good!

Again I love you all mucho and please don't think that I take your reviewing for granted, just as authors expect timely reviews I think readers expect timely updates in return. (I think that's fair)

Till I get back (here I come sunny California!),

Trisky


	8. Dinner Party?

Chapter Seven: Dinner Party?

* * *

Six weeks had passed since the Joker's infamous entrance to Bruce Wayne's star studded soiree. Time had passed as quickly as wind through a tree, leaving all involved in that fateful night reeling from its repercussions. The Joker was sweeping through Gotham at an alarming rate, killing and causing mayhem wherever he touched down. His anarchist methods were beginning to split Gotham, a circumstance that frightened all. With Gotham in a state of alarm and chaos, Julia had had hardly a moment to herself.

Julia's popularity after her near death experience launched her to become an instant household name. Her traumatic experience was only a small factor in her change in status she later found out; the juiciest piece of transformative information was her interaction and experience with Gotham's allusive Batman. Returning back to work a few days after the party, Julie had been shocked to find her career had completely changed. Overnight she went from being the Gazette's resident gossip girl to being one of its most hard hitting, risky, and informative journalists.

Not one to miss out on opportunity, Julia used her new celebrity to her advantage and the advantage of others. Her most pursued story was private though – her deep search for the man beneath the mask was going nowhere. She only publicly acknowledged Batman when she had to, once thanking him in her article recalling events from that dreaded night. Otherwise the mystery shrouded man was private to her, a rather hard thing to keep to herself considering the city's temperament.

"Roger, what are you working on?" Julia said as she leaned over his shoulder to catch a peak at his screen.

"Just another riot on behalf of Gotham's favorite mascot." He craned his neck to see her face, an action that put their faces about a centimeter apart.

"Interesting, I thought that all that would come to end after the last one, considering the outcome that time."

"Well, apparently these bat supporters don't mind being beaten down by everyone's favorite police department." Roger spat sarcastically.

Julia laughed and moved away back to her desk. She sat down and stared blankly at her screen. Her thoughts weren't few, and all except maybe two involved Batman. The others were her concerns over a dinner party she had planned later that evening and sadly, even then, Batman seemed to spill over into those concerns.

"What is your story?" she said aloud, forgetting herself entirely.

"Whose story?" Roger inquired as he flopped some papers on her scattered and post-it note covered desk.

She shook herself and snapped back into reality. "Just talking to myself once again." She laughed and leaned into her chair exhaustedly.

"Really?" Roger pushed with a knowing grin. He knelt down in front of her and made her face him. "You're not thinking about a certain someone?"

Julia's heart froze. He couldn't know about her research on Batman could he? The last thing she wanted, now that she was looked at as a serious writer, was to be lumped in with a bunch of fool hardy fan girls.

"No." she choked out.

"Oh, it's just that I thought for sure that Wayne was occupying your thoughts." Roger made to move away but Julia grabbed his arm and jerked him back down.

"Why on earth would you think that?"

Taken aback by her reaction, Roger knelt in front of her with a look of surprise mixed with surprise at her strength. "He's going to be at your dinner party for Rachel isn't he? I just thought you may be dreading the encounter."

Julia looked down at her vice like grip on her co-worker and let go like her hand was engulfed in flames. "I'm sorry for manhandling you," she said sheepishly.

"No worries, turned me on more than anything." He winked devishly at her before disappearing over the short partition.

"Pervert!" Julia yelled with mirth.

His head popped up on the other side of the partition making Julia gasp in surprise.

"Nothing perverted in being a man LaPointe." He stated simply, and then left her there laughing all the way back to his desk.

"Men." She said out loud, then slowly started packing up to go home.

* * *

'What the hell was I thinking?' Julia thought as she pulled the main course of her dinner menu. After just the first hour of cooking she became daunted and stressed, hoping that all would be done on time. 'Its just Rachel and Dent for Christ sakes!' she shouted out loud for what she felt was the millionth time that day.

She moved to the living room, striding straight for her stereo. She pressed play, and waited to see what would come out of the speakers. She moved back to the kitchen as the Rolling Stones filled her ears and senses releasing stress almost instantly. Feeling her sanity come back again she began to set her dining room table, paying more attention to detail than she ever thought herself capable of. She became so lost in the movements and creativity of producing such an artistic display that she hadn't heard the arrival of her first guest.

He stood there, leaning against the door frame of her dining room smirking with gratification at the scene before him. Before him was Julie, a very candid and familiar Julie. Bruce's mind began to race with memories of Julia dancing her stress off before a final, often trying to drag him into her flurry of movements. It felt as though time had gone backward, because there she was dancing around, setting her table to the Rolling Stones no less.

He was about to clear his voice and alert her to his presence but was beaten to the gesture by Julia herself.

"AHHH!" she screamed loud enough to deafen a dog.

"Julie! Julie! Hey, it's me, its Bruce." He moved to her and grabbed her shoulders to steady her. His actions were not as welcomed as he would have hoped though.

"Get off me!" she yelled, pushing him away from her with unexpected force. "What the hell is wrong with you Bruce, don't you knock?"

Bruce backed away trying to hide his amusement. He leaned back against the doorway and crossed his arms knowing his actions spoke louder than words. During this, he watched her make her way to turn down the music she had lost herself in, and then turned with hands on hips toward him.

This time he decided to beat her for the first word. "The door was open, and I did knock. When you didn't answer I let myself in." he spoke defensively, the only way he seemed to be able to talk to her these days.

She stood there as if she were a living statue before moving past him through the doorway. "Would you like a glass of wine?"

He could hear her teeth grind as she tried and failed to be civil.

"Wine would be great." He mocked her with his cheerful tone, taking a divine satisfaction in her discomfort. _'It may be sadistic but it's entertaining' _he chidely thought to himself.

"Rachel should be here any minute!" she yelled as she entered her kitchen, disappearing behind the crisp white swinging door. She came back into her dining room with two glasses of a vintage white wine, its golden color adding to the glowing ambience to the room.

"Where's Alfred?" she asked with a raised brow.

"He wasn't feeling well." Bruce answered as he accepted one of the glasses she held. "He asked me to send his apologies."

"Well, I suppose that cuts down my work a bit." she glanced at the growing display on her table. "I am sorry to hear it, nothing serious I hope?"

Julia was trying her ass off to maintain a pleasant conversation, but it was becoming evident to Bruce that she was in fact trying. The prospect disappointed him, he had thought…no, he had hoped that they had moved passed that. Obviously he had been wrong.

"No nothing serious, just tired."

"Well working for a man like you must run him ragged I'm sure." Julia made to sip on her wine but was halted mid drink by a firm hand on her wrist.

"I thought we were passed this charade Julie." It was a simple statement that made Julia's blood boil in a way that only Bruce Wayne could achieve.

"Charade? This was never a god damn charade Bruce! Nothing was ever resolved you arrogant, insensitive jerk!"

"There at least you're being honest now." Bruce laughed un-phased.

Without saying anything Julia moved into the next room, Bruce followed and immediately regretted it.

Without warning a book came flying at his head, making him duck out of acute instinct.

"Honest! You want honest! Oh I'll give you honesty Bruce! You take and take until there nothing left for those around you to give! Your needy and selfish and lonely, not to mention brainless! Do you even hear half the things you say? How on earth did you ever get into Princeton, oh that's right you were at one point intelligent! You are no one to talk of honesty Bruce, who are you really? Are you the air headed playboy of Gotham or the son of one of the greatest minds Gotham ever had?"

Breathless after her tirade, Julia stood still trying to regain control over herself. She looked up at Bruce, who looked positively miserable.

"Are you finished?" he asked in a tone that sounded more like the boy she had known so many years ago.

Before she could even think to answer, her phone rang. Thankful to the universe for small mercies she moved to the phone and greeted the caller.

"Julia LaPointe."

"Julie, its Rachel."

"Hey, are you on your way over yet?" Julia practically begged.

"That's the thing, I feel awful but I don't think I can make it over."

Julia felt all vestiges of color drain from her already pale skin. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Not really, I may need to go back Gotham General for another check up. They said if I felt faint to come back."

"No worries, we'll do it another time. You've only been home for a few days, best to take it easy."

"Another time then?" Rachel asked.

"Of course, I'm not going anywhere."

"Love you Jules." Rachel mumbled sleepily.

"Love you too Rach."

Julia hung up the phone with a heavy heart and went to inform Bruce of the evening's turn of events.

"She's alright then?" Bruce asked when she was finished.

"So far as I could interpret."

They both looked at each other then, both overwhelmed with the notion of being alone together.

"What's for dinner?" Bruce broke moving through the doorway again towards the dining room table.

"Bruce, I don't think that you staying is a great idea; who knows what might come out of my mouth with you present."

"That's the first honest assessment I think you've made of our relationship since we've been around one another." He took a generous pull of his wine, and looked up at her with an expression of pained acceptance of her dislike for him.

It wasn't the look that alerted her to his pain and suffering, it was the pull of wine that he had previously gulped down. The Bruce Wayne she had known only drank when severely upset and low in spirit. It may have been upwards of seven years since they were close, but some instincts were always meant to be followed.

"Bruce, would you like to stay for dinner?" The moment she said it she wished she had waited to have a camera on hand.

Bruce stared at her for a moment as though she were a completely different person. "Why the change of heart?"

"Most likely because I'm smart enough to know you wont leave until I give in and feed you." She smiled a bit shyly as she made her way into the kitchen to ready the food she had spent hours on.

Being left alone at the table Bruce thought about what he was getting into, knowing full well that whatever it was, it could only become complicated.

Upon her return from the kitchen she dished them both out generous portions of chicken pesto, not a word being spoken. They sat in their uncomfortable silence for what seemed like ages, neither being sure what to say. Julia felt guilty for her earlier outburst and Bruce felt guilty for the pain that his seven year absence caused his closest friend. When they did finally feel the need to break the unbearable quiet they stuck to safe subjects mostly concerning neutral areas such as Rachel Dawes.

"So how did Berkley treat you?" Bruce inquired carefully, not wanting to damage the flow of conversation they were beginning to feel open with.

"Good enough, California is an interesting departure from anything the east coast has to offer."

They both took a drink from their wine glasses as if timed, making them both laugh.

"What glass are we on?" Julia laughed out.

"I think that this would be the fifth." Bruce smiled at the woman before him. This is what he remembered; _'This is what I gave up'_ he thought bitterly.

"About that, what on earth is wrong? You never drink like me unless you're upset and or thoughtful."

"Didn't you know, I'm this city's most eligible playboy, this is what I do."

Julia looked at him skeptically. "And what is it you do exactly, Mr. Playboy?" she teased.

"Entertain women and get as drunk as humanly possible."

Julia laughed. "Well your night isn't completely wasted then!"

* * *

The evening continued in this fashion, moving them further and further away from past hurts. It wasn't until Julia's seventh glass of wine that the eager and most desired inquiries spill forth.

They had moved into her cozy and homey living room, sitting on opposite ends of her oversized white couch. While in the middle of their current conversation, Julia stopped and looked at Bruce straight on without her normal air of hesitation.

"Where did you go?" Her gaze was unwavering, hoping to stare the truth right out of the man.

"Everywhere." Bruce hated being vague with her but at least he was granted the peace of mind of not lying.

"Oh stop being evasive Bruce and tell me."

"I traveled around Asia and Europe." That was more information than anyone had ever tugged out of him, likely all Julia would get as well.

"You hated traveling." She spoke with the look of discovering a fond memory.

Bruce grunted in reply. With her current line of questioning he felt that he may need to end the night's reconnections. "It's getting pretty late, I should take off."

Bruce rose from the firm couch and made his way to the door, showing himself out.

"You're running away again." Julia muttered rather loudly.

Bruce froze in his tracks and kept his back to her. "I'm not running away from anything Julia."

"Bullshit."

Julia pushed herself up at once realizing just how drunk she was. Her head began to spin making the floor disappear beneath her feet. She grabbed the bookshelf on her right and made to steady herself to speak.

"You're not the air-headed buffoon you portray, Wayne."

Bruce cringed at the use of his surname but kept his back to her all the same. He wouldn't let her get to him. He utterly refused to feel the one thing he had fought his whole life to prevent from happening - vulnerable.

"Why the façade? Why do you dumb yourself down for the masses? The Bruce Wayne I had the pleasure of seeing tonight is a far cry away from the stupid womanizer I had the privilege to write about bi-weekly."

It was Bruce's turn to be irrationally angry now. "You're pushing for a story right? How much are they offering for a sad exposé on the Prince of Gotham?"

"How dare you!" Julia shouted.

Bruce moved to her in two large strides and shook her by her shoulders. "You're a journalist aren't you, always looking for a great story?" he asked with malice and contempt for her profession.

She had started to cry as he shook her, a reaction that immediately brought him back to his senses. He let her go, ashamed of himself for losing his temper, and as he did Julia grabbed a hold of the bookcase once more.

After she steadied herself, she maintained her soft gaze on the wooden floor beneath her. "I would never do that to you." she whispered.

She moved to him then, wrapping her arms around his solid muscular frame. Resting her head on his broad chest she exhaled and spoke. "I'm so tired of hating you, why can't you just let me in?"

If only he could tell her why he couldn't do just that. She was already a prime target for the Joker, a fact that was still unknown to her; and he was one of three major targets as well. Batman couldn't afford to be distracted by love or lust, even if those primal feelings were becoming desired by Bruce the man. He was battling with so much internally; he wondered how he managed time to think about his other life, this life as Bruce Wayne that he had been ignoring. Batman was his life now, Gotham was his life.

"I can't, not yet." He wrapped his arms around her.

"Can we try to be friends again?" she asked into his pressed white shirt.

"I think so." He muttered into her fragrant auburn hair.

They both stood there, in the middle of her living room just feeling the other breathe. It was dark, the open windows indicating the late hour. As if on instinct they both moved to look at one another, never breaking the rather intimate embrace they now found themselves in. Bruce looked down into her eyes, the same eyes that entranced him when they had been at Princeton knowing that he was making a potentially bad decision. Julia understood the gesture and gaze and raised herself up onto her toes giving in to her desire for the man who had held her heart for years. They held each others gaze as they moved in, both feeling the agonizing emotions wash over them.

As they were about to graze lips an unexpected brightness protruded through Julia's living room making them both turn their heads toward the strange light.

Julia's heart dropped farther into the pit of her stomach as the Bat signal illuminated the Gotham sky.

She turned back to Bruce and made her decision. It turned out that Bruce had as well.

"Perhaps you should go." Julia said at the same moment Bruce said, "I better go."

He moved to the door, grabbing his jacket in haste. Julia followed, and stayed behind him as he turned to her in the now open doorway. He leaned in and kissed her softly on the cheek. He lingered there for a moment before he spoke in a voice filled with a rugged uncharacteristic passion.

"We'll talk about this later."

Mutely she nodded, feeling breathless and impatient at the same time.

"I'll see you around Bruce." And with that final word from her he disappeared into the hallway.

Julia closed and bolted her door, making her way to the fridge for a bottle of water to sober her up. She drank as she moved, making sure to wait until she knew for sure Bruce would be gone. After about ten minutes she grabbed her coat and tape recorder and left her apartment.

"Alright Batman, here I come." She muttered as she locked her door and made her way to the dark streets of Gotham.

* * *

Authors Note: I'm BACK! Oh my god you guys, you have no idea what I went through to write this chapter! I about four different drafts with completely different scenes and outcomes, but this one won out in the end! I thought we needed a little more Bruce and Julia!

I cant believe how this story has taken off, its come a long way from my little blurb of a chapter that started it off….I cant thank you all enough for all your reviews that have kept me writing!

**XxSuperGrlxX**: Thanks for your well wishes for my trip, it was in fact awesome (a bit hot though) I hope you enjoyed the banter in this one, these two will always have a wit that will be everlasting I think!

**VincentandYuffy4Ever**: Thanks for your lovely review! I will keep pluggin away, and hopefully you'll like it and keep reviewing!

**remuslives23**: Hey there lady! I updated, who knew eh? Thanks for all your support, you really are a gem and help inspire me through my many writers blocks (whether or not you know it!)

**Vilofied**: How do you live in Cali? I was born there but my god its hot! Meh, anyway I cant wait to start reading the sequel and I hope you liked this chappie! I really appreciate you following this story and reviewing!

**ally**: Oh there is so much in store, you have no idea! Thanks for the review chica!

**ohiojones**: oh you……Rachel dying hmm….I'll get back to on that one! (laughs) You want me to take this story in some interesting directions, I make no promises but I am considering some of your outlandish ideas!

**marislily**: Wow, your review totally made me go straight for the keyboard! I will tell you for sure that this story will be a bit long, I don't see the end coming for maybe another dozen chapters. Thanks for your review and keep em' coming!

**kaitlynvoncat**: Your review blew me away. I tend to be a bit modest but after reading that I wanted to be a bit big headed! I am so glad you like it thus far and hope that it just keeps getting better and better! Liking Rachel has been hard for me as well, but writing Julia made it a lot easier. Cant wait for a screen plastered with Christian Bale, so soon!

**Stephanie taylor**: Hopefully by September but I make no promises.

**EmSyd**: Thanks for taking the time to review, you rock my world!

**Rea Jossette:** I'm glad you found it, and I hope that I hear from you again! Its hopefully going to get better and better!

**Red One**: Here it is! Thanks again for the review sweets!

**Siry Pop**: Thanks for your patience, and I think we have a mutual author we love? Good ol' Julie with her Remus! No one writes him like her I swear! Thanks for the review!

**Haladflire65**: Well, I kept at it…I hope you liked it!

Alright all, I will do PM's next time I swear! I love you all so much for taking the time to review and I will try my best to update sooner! If you keep reviewing I just might let Bruce and Julia go at it…….I have no shame!

-Trisky


	9. Stoppin' the Love

Chapter Eight: Stoppin' the Love

* * *

It had only taken a brief ten minute jog for Julia to make it to Gotham City's Police Department where her beacon of light radiated, indicating the hopeful arrival of her source of restless curiosity. Stopping just short of the massive doors that led into the realm of public servants, Julia slowly regained her breath. On her sprint, she had calculated her way into the building but hadn't thought much further ahead than that. Her plan was simple she decided; get in, go up, stay quiet, and hide. Someone was there already; waiting for the man the press was now dubbing The Dark Knight, meaning that her entrance to the roof would have to be stealthy. "_Stealth, Ha!"_ thought Julia, cracking up at the very notion that she was even attempting this charade.

At her last thought, she made the decision to move on with it. Every moment she was thinking about what she was planning to do, she was losing a moment that she may need to actually achieve it.

Pushing through the revolving door of the urban building, Julia made her way to the centered reception desk.

"May I help you?" asked the clerk.

"Hi, I have a meeting with Lieutenant Gordon." She lied.

"Right, tenth floor at the back of the partitions."

"Thanks." Julia breathed while making her way to the elevators. '_That was much too easy_.' Julia thought to herself. When the doors shut, she skipped the button that boasted the number ten, instead hitting a button with a small lit up 'R' on it in hopes that her assumption to its destination was correct.

She was let off into a small hallway with a battleship grey door at its end. Invoking the spirit of a small cat, Julia made her way to the door as silently as she could. When she reached the industrial size entrance, she grabbed the metal knob and hoped to god that it wouldn't make any obnoxiously loud creaks or noises.

Luckily enough, the door opened swiftly and silently, releasing a trepid and nervous Julia into the freeing night air. She made sure to close the door as silently as she opened it, moving it back at a slow yet steady rate with both hands gripping the handle. Watching her feet, she made to look around the corner. A quick glance was all she needed before she whipped her back on the wall and broke her view. She had seen Lieutenant Gordon leaning against a brick rail, the bat signal directly across from him, lighting the skies of Gotham.

Julia looked around her, searching for somewhere to conceal herself. She saw a large metal over hang to her right, near enough to eavesdrop. She began to move for the sheltered area when she heard a noise behind her, shocking her still. It was coming nearer and fast causing Julia to move away fast, without much thought of the noise she may have been making. She had just slid her feet under the metal area where she was lying as another pair of feet appeared from the opening door she had just come from. Once the feet had disappeared from her sight, Julia shifted to gain a better look at the now two men ahead of her.

"Mr. Dent, so glad you made it to our meeting." Gordon offered in greeting.

"So he just comes straight here when you display the signal?" Dent sounded a bit amazed, but at the same time his tone was thick with the charm of an ambitious Politian. Julia wondered at that moment if he always sounded like that, and if so, how on earth did Rachel tolerate him?

"See for yourself." Gordon said cryptically.

Julia looked in astonishment as she saw Batman step out of the shadows. '_Not as showy as I thought_.' She pondered pensively.

The conversation between the three most notable personalities in Gotham had started before Julia had time to switch on her tape recorder. In her current position, she didn't have any room for movement without the chance of making a distinct noise. Deciding that she would take the risk, she moved her hand down to her jacket pocket and fumbled to find the right button.

The thing was, she was still a bit drunk.

As soon as she had clumsily put her hand into her loose pocket, the recorder had room to fall out with a loud cracking '_thunk!_' upon the terse cement ground.

Julia froze.

All three men had stopped talking, making Julia fear the worst for herself. They stayed that way for only a few moments before they resumed discussion, careful to keep their ears on alert for any other noises. Julia stayed silent and unmoving, resolving herself to the notion that she would just have to commit the epic conversation about Gotham crime lords to memory, all the while ignorant to the black cowled stare in her direction.

Dent and Gordon left soon after the Batman, leaving Julia alone on the roof, under the metal lean-to like shelter she had disguised herself with. After around twenty minutes of waiting to be sure she could get away unnoticed, she made her way out from under her deceiving metal home and out of the GPD building.

After escaping notice as she made her way through the building, Julia walked out and back onto the dark and musty streets of Gotham's east end. As she walked back toward her apartment, the young journalist pondered what to make of the meeting she had just witnessed. So many questions were racing through her head that she couldn't keep up with them.

'_Why was Jim Gordon signaling Batman?'_

'_Why the hell was Dent enlisting the help of the vigilante that he was publically defacing?'_

'_What did Maroni have to do with the Joker?'_

'_Did they know who Batman was?'_

'_Why was Gordon leading an investigation into various groups in Gotham, and their association with Batman when he was the one with the Bat signal on his building?'_

Those and more littered through a head that didn't lack in imagination, a trait and circumstance that often attributed to Julia's natural inclination toward clumsiness. Lost to her numerous internal questions, she stumbled on a crack in the disintegrating sidewalk, causing her to jolt forward without any molecule of grace.

She waited for an impact that never came.

Faster than she could say holy hell, Julia found herself in the strong and un-yielding arms of her current source of investigation. Within a moment of his saving her, he was pulling her into a side ally, similar to that of a medieval close. Without a word, Batman gripped her tightly, causing Julia to squeak at the acute pain that was now engulfing her midsection. They shot up in the air, causing Julia to grip even tighter to her elusive captor as her stomach sank with the jerk that came with her current motion. Thinking better of questioning his motives right then and there, she opted to go along for the ride, trusting the man that once saved her life without apparent hesitation.

It wasn't until five or so minutes later, on another rather large roof top that Julia decided she was fed up with being dragged about silently, as though she were some sort of unimportant rag doll.

She jerked painfully out of his grasp, wrenching her sore arm free. "Is there a point to this madness, because to be honest I've had enough of this meandering."

She stood resolute, planting her hands on her hips as well, to further illustrate her frustration.

Batman merely stopped and pivoted around during her burst of agitation, stopping to stand menacingly in front of her.

Silence.

"Oh would you come on!" Julia stamped, annoyed at her captors indifference. "What the hell do you want?"

He moved then, and thrust his rather large hand into her jacket, moving into the pocket where her recorder was stored.

"It won't do you any good" she scoffed, "I didn't record anything." As soon as he reached for her jacket she knew, he had seen her on that damnable rooftop.

He stayed silent, further annoying Julia. She watched as he took the small tape out of the device and followed by tossing the recorder carelessly over the side of the building.

"Oh come on!" Julia yelled, then bravely strode up to him and shoved him in the chest, well attempting to at least. The man didn't even flinch at the impact. "That was a gift you know!" She looked up at the indifferent bat, challenging him, with what she wasn't really sure.

"Go home." His raspy voice responded.

"I was trying to!" Julia practically screamed.

Batman proceeded to throw her over his shoulder violently and without preamble, then resolutely walked to the entrance door to the roof of Julia's building, where he dropped her on the ground unceremoniously.

Julia barley had time to recover from the shock of being so carelessly handled when Batman turned - leaving.

She sat up quick, rubbing her sore posterior and rushed back after him. "I need those tapes!" He kept his back to her as he moved. "I didn't record anything! Damn it, would you listen?"

She continued to pepper him with questions, hoping for something to catch him off guard.

"Why are you working with Harvey Dent?" she yelled after him. "What's your connection with Gordon?!" she stopped a few feet behind him. "Why haven't you taken out the Joker yet!?"

"I don't kill." His low and throaty sound gave Julia chills.

He dove off the side a the building then, leaving a fuming Journalist atop, struggling to hide the smirk taking over his mouth as he let out his wings and descended through Gotham's night sky.

"Bastard." she grumbled out as she stomped her way to the stairs and out of the building she didn't yet recognize as her own.

* * *

**A few weeks later….**

"Ah LaPointe, just who I needed."

Julia walked into her Editors office hesitantly, moving toward the modern and uncomfortable looking chairs in front of his desk.

"So I heard, what's up Martin?" she said as she sat down with precision on the small seat of the black and grey metallic chair.

"I have something for you, a very high profile story." His back was to her as he spoke, lending a sense of drama to the encounter.

Julia perked up at his words, a feeling of anticipation mingled with nervousness erupting over her psyche.

Staying outwardly cool she engaged him with conversation. "Really? What is it, another piece on our favorite money making playboy?"

"Is that all you got LaPointe? I've heard better insults about Wayne from you in my sleep." He turned to her then, with the light of the setting sun behind him, and smirked.

"I must be getting soft, I apologize." Julia smiled wickedly. "Would repugnant, worthless waste of space with enough money to feed a country but doesn't because he's a selfish life sucking rodent…be better?"

Martin laughed, and leaned back on the front of his desk as if settling in for a long drawn out conversation. Julia watched this and inwardly cringed. "Much better, it's good to see you acting like yourself again." He looked her over as if trying to decide something, making Julia feel a bit like a fish trapped in a bowl.

"How have you been?" he asked suddenly serious.

Julia stared at him blankly, but her body shifted, betraying her desire to stay cool.

"What do you mean?"

"Come on hot shot, you were thrown from a twenty-five story building and your friend was almost stabbed to death. Don't tell me life has returned to normal in just eight weeks."

"I'm fine, really." Was all she offered in reply.

"How is Ms. Dawes?" he asked, un-wavered by Julia's closed off nature.

"All in all she seems really good, better than I would have imagined."

"How are things with Roger?" he asked, hoping to lighten the mood again but still sticking with topics that would make his employee squirm.

"What's the story Martin?" she asked irritably.

"Now, now, don't you think I should be in on a relationship between my two star journalists?"

"No, I don't." Julia said firmly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Alright, but no sex in the office, if I cant you guys most _definitely_ cant." He spoke with the haughtiness of a boss, but betrayed himself with a wink in her direction.

"Jesus Martin!"

He put up his hands in mock defense. "I'm just saying…"

"Say something about the damn piece Marty before I just give in to The Times and see what they have waiting for me."

"Damn it, are they trying to poach you too?" Martin ran a hand frustratedly through his hair as he turned and made to sit behind his desk.

"It would seem that I am a very popular girl at the moment." She played coy with a shrug of her shoulders, hoping he would continue on this course and cease asking her personal questions.

"It's a piece on the influential men of Gotham, three of them to be exact."

"What's the angle?"

"None yet, but I'm sure you'll find one."

Julia lifted an eyebrow at her boss. "You're telling me, as my editor, that I have free license with a story?"

"Exactly."

She shook her head in disbelief. "I don't understand, why do you want me to write about these three men?"

Martin raised his head to look at her dead on, his stare giving away nothing of his thoughts. "You have a connection to all three men. Think of this as me using a very lucky asset."

He hastily added after seeing the confusion cross Julia's features. "That asset being you of course."

Julia put her head in her hands knowing full well who he was talking about. Just the mere thought of attempting a story like this was giving her a headache, but knowing she would have to encounter the men she had in her head made her want to admit herself to a psyche ward.

She pulled her head up and looked at Martin with a look of pure and genuine loathing. "Do you want human interest or a more provocative angle?" She gave in to the assignment without fighting, well aware that she wouldn't be able to get out of it even if she had truly wanted to.

"Let's see what you extract before we make a judgment hmm?"

"Who are they then?" she said, fully aware of what the answer would be.

"Harvey Dent…"

"I thought as much, who else."

"Jim Gordon…"

"Oh get on with it Marty!" Julia shouted losing her last vestige of patience."

"and Bruce Wayne."

Julia knew his name would be amongst the most powerful men in Gotham, but upon further thought she also realized that it didn't seem to make sense with the other two men. What did Bruce have to do with Public Servitude?

"Why Wayne Marty?" she voiced her thoughts "What could he possibly have to do with the other two men; he's hardly political and doesn't really associate himself with the public servants of Gotham."

"He sells papers Julia; make him relevant to the other men, that's what I pay you for."

"Ah, and the politics of journalism are shown! Fine, I'll do it but I have some demands."

"I didn't really think you would turn it down." Martin grinned.

"Is it going to run on the front page?"

"Yes."

"Then I want an 18 point headline and 22 inches of the front, I also want the story to continue on page three with 10 inch margins."

"That's ridiculous!" Martin jumped from his chair in a fit of outrage.

"That's my price. If you want me to do this, which believe me won't be easy, those are my terms." She stood in the doorway waiting, leaning on the door jam in a casually infuriating manner.

Martin Norton just stood there, looking at the confident woman before him. He had never given a journalist more than 15 inches on the front page. Asking for something so long had just never happened, at least since he had been an Editor. Julia was by far the most talented writer he had encountered though, making him feel as though she may be worth it.

"Fine." He sputtered unevenly. "Go tell Radcliff to watch his back LaPointe."

"Bye Marty." She waved demurely as she strutted out of his office, knowing she had just accomplished something no one else at the Gazette ever had.

"LaPointe!"

"Yeah?" she said swinging her head back through the doorway.

"You better make this good."

* * *

"You'll never guess what Martin just said to me!" Julia proclaimed as she walked briskly into Rogers office.

"He was retiring excessively early and promoting me to his position?" Roger offered with sarcastic hope.

"Close…it was more along the lines of please don't screw in the office."

Julia sat on his desk and laughed out loud at the expression on her lovers face. Watching while he was incapable of speech, she crossed her legs provocatively and settled in on the edge of his mahogany desk.

Roger leaned back in his chair looking a bit rugged and amused. "When did he find out?"

"I can't say for sure, I didn't ask. I was too concerned with his proposal of a front page story to really care."

Roger jumped up from his chair with a whoosh as he picked her up and swung her about the room like a rag doll, taking her completely by surprise.

"Roger! Put me down!" Julia said hastily. "Martin might know but that doesn't mean the entire office does." Roger laughed but complied with her request.

"Oh, we all know, wouldn't be too shocking if the rest of Gotham knows by now too!" In their moment of joy and celebration neither had noticed Rogers assistant Jeremy walk in with a stack of papers, there by witnessing their moment of affection.

"That'll be all Jeremy, thank you." Roger spoke authoritatively.

"Sorry sir." The young man croaked as he gawked out, clearly affronted by being snubbed.

"Do you think what he said is true, are we that obvious?" Julia asked wide eyed.

"Probably, why…cant handle it?" She knew that he was teasing, but could hear the minimal insecurity beneath his tone.

"I just like things to be private."

She felt bad lying to him, but wasn't sure how to approach the topic. She liked Roger, a lot in fact, but was still unsure if she was making the right decision by dating him.

'_Stop it LaPointe, you need to get over him, move on already!' Julia pressed in her mind, trying hopelessly to push thoughts of Bruce Wayne out of her cerebellum._

"Well, why don't we focus on other things then? So, tell me about this story…"

* * *

"Mr. Wayne, I have a Julia LaPointe on line two – would you like to take it?"

Bruce Wayne was poised behind his large and neatly organized desk, the Gotham skyline illuminating from behind him. He kept ruffling through his papers as he spoke back, hardly paying any attention to the voice coming out of his phone.

"I don't have time for any calls at the moment, take a message."

He continued viewing contracts and files – mind wandering from his work at hand to his night time activities and what to do about the Joker. Rachel had almost been killed, and event that altered his perception and approach when dealing with the murderous psychopath. Word was that the madman was after Harvey Dent, a discovery he wished he hadn't uncovered. With Dent singled out as a target that put Rachel back into the Jokers path. He couldn't let his mind wander to Julia and her potential problems with the criminal underworld; she had to make herself stand out didn't she? He didn't have any evidence or contacts that proved he was right, but he knew without a doubt that she had caught the Jokers eye. The only question there was when would he attack?

Bruce was shaken out of his thoughts again when the nasally voice of his receptionist bounded through the room insistently.

"I'm sorry Mr. Wayne but she says it's urgent."

"Who?"

"Ms. LaPointe sir, she keeps calling every five minutes."

Julia was calling him? Wondering how he missed her name being mentioned in the first place, Bruce halted his previous activities and told Jessica to put her through.

"Julia!" he said haughtily. "How have you been?"

'_He knows_' Julia thought on the other side.

"Fine, just ya know, working and sleeping. You?"

'_Sleeping, Ha!_' Bruce thought angrily.

"Oh nothing much, to what do I owe this honor?"

"I need a favor."

"I'm a busy man Julie; I may not have the time..."

"Listen Bruce, I need to interview you for a story." Julia rudely interjected.

"What's the story?"

"About the most influential men in Gotham, its right up your ally Bruce. It should make that already large head a blimp."

"Why you?" Bruce inquired.

"Why do you think? I'm the best they have for something like this."

"You said something about a big head on _my_ shoulders?"

"Oh shut up Bruce." Julia countered.

"So is Radcliff going to be there as well, you both tend to work on a lot of pieces together?"

"Who told you?" Julia muttered.

"Your on the socialite radar now Jules, everyone knows."

His simple, detached reply made Julia's face turn bright red. _'Great'_ she thought.

"Bruce I'm sorry, I didn't mean to lead you on."

"Ah, it would have been like before. " Bruce lied through his teeth, knowing what he was doing was going to hurt her. "Don't worry, can't commit anyway."

The detached playboy had returned, making Julia's eyes burn with the threat of tears. "Bruce. I..."

"I have time Wednesday at ten thirty, will that work?" Bruce said nonchalantly.

Julia forced the lump of tears down her throat before she spoke. "That's fine, see you then."

"Bye Julia."

"Bye."

Bruce hung up the phone and leaned back into his leather backed chair. Pondering why Julia was dating that journalist, Bruce set his head back and sighed. He sat there for a short time before coming to a decision, one that he was sure Alfred would hate if he found out. He sat up and decided there was only one way to get through the pain of not being able to have Julia now or ever.

What he couldn't do as Bruce Wayne……he would do as Batman.

* * *

Authors Note: What?! Whats happening you say? Drama and loads of it! Oh, I really hope you all didn't hate this chappie...I'm very nervous about it. Let me know either way! I hope it didnt tick anyone off for good!

Thanks for the reviews guys! 60! Thats the most I've ever recieved on a story... so thanks! I really love all you guys! Keep em' coming!

The rating may change in later chappies, just to let you all know. M chapters are on the rise, I will fore warn when we get there (Mmm, a bit of smut? Maybe...its not really my "bread and butter" like it is for some folks (uh-hum) but I will attempt it. (I might need "uh-hums" help!)

Trisky


	10. Loose Ends

Authors Note: So this chapter is a little different. Many things are happening at once in here.

1.) I am trying to tie my story in with The Dark Knight. 2.) This chapter is kind of a filler, explaining or introducing things for you the reader!

So please don't hate me too much for the lack of action, I just thought I might explain up front. Alot of things are implied in this chapter, such as Bruce being in Hong Kong, etc... ;)

You are getting to hear more from Alfred and Rachel in this one, as they were a bit absent there for awhile…

* * *

Chapter Nine: Loose Ends

**Wednesday**

Alfred stood in front of the phone, knowing that his next call was one for the books. This was one of the few times in is life that he cursed Bruce for his behavior and its effects on his person.

The phone began to ring, adding to Alfred's already hesitant demeanor.

"Julia LaPointe here." A familiar voice answered.

"Ms. Julia, how are you my dear?"

"Alfred! How have you been?" she exclaimed on the other end.

"Just fine thank you. I'm just calling to inform you that Master Bruce is unable to keep his meeting with you tomorrow, and that he would like to reschedule as soon as he returns."

"Really?" Julia pushed out with contempt. "And what, may I ask, has made him cancel at such short notice?"

"A business adventure that needed his immediate attention I'm afraid." The affable butler said, although sounding a bit rehearsed.

"Oh I bet." She scoffed skeptically.

"Oh all right!" Alfred laughed. "All I ask is that you don't shoot the messenger."

"Do I even want to know what he's really up to?"

"Well, that depends……..were you planning on seeing the Russian Ballet?" Alfred started, knowing without a doubt he had just secured Bruce's alibi.

xxXxx

"I can't believe him Rachel, I mean honestly!"

"With everything that's happening in Gotham, your attention is on Bruce's escapade with a bunch of dancers?"

Julia didn't respond, opting instead to pout like a child in the middle of the pub they were occupying.

"Oh and by the way," Rachel continued. "it would have been nice for you to tell me that the show was canceled, instead of letting me read that ridiculous article that was posted on the door of the theater."

"I didn't even know you were going Dawes." Julia said irritably.

"Shouldn't you be focusing on Roger, or maybe this life altering story that you keep going on about?"

"Rachel, that story is the last thing I want to think about, hence the drinking." Julia gestured sarcastically to her half empty pint. "I have an interview with Jim Gordon tomorrow morning, and the deadline is midnight. I still need something on Bruce, and I have everything I need on Dent thanks to some lovely woman I know." She winked in Rachel's direction, making her crack a smile.

"So as you can see, I have a few missing components to the damn thing that seem almost impossible. I may have to pull it out of my ass, which is killing me because I have never, never not once," she emphasized. "used fluff from my own head for a political piece."

Rachel eyed a miserable looking Julia, feeling the utmost empathy. "Well, readjust the angle to create a story based on what you have." She suggested.

"It's hard to do that when you still have to interview a key player of the story. Gordon is hard to get close to these days, its amazing I even got ten minutes with him in the morning."

Julia took a long pull of the dark ale in her hand, relishing the bitter taste in her mouth.

"_Tastes just like my damn attitude"_ she thought

"Sadly though, we are not here to talk about me and my trivial problems. Let's hear about you and yours!" Julia mocked.

"Harvey proposed." Casually interjected, Rachel dealt her blow with ease.

Julia stopped mid drink and stared.

Her brain was slow, but eventually landed on one word that expressed everything she was thinking. "WHAT!" Julia bellowed, silencing the other numerous conversations around them.

"Jesus Jules, keep it down!" Rachel hissed at her.

"What?" Julia hunched down and whispered.

"You heard me the first time."

"What did you say? Oh please tell me you said no, please….please."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "I said I wasn't sure."

"WHAT!" Julia yelled for the second time, drawing annoyed stares from the other patrons as well as Rachel.

She leaned down, resting her arms on the able in front of her for support. "You told Harvey Dent you weren't sure? Are you crazy?"

"What's so crazy about it? It was an honest answer."

"Listen Dawes, I may joke about Dent and what a two face politician he is, but I gotta be honest….the mans a catch." Julia almost gagged out the last part, almost as if she were performing an exorcism on herself.

"Are you, Julia LaPointe, telling me that Harvey Dent is a catch?"

"Keep it down Rachel, news like this spreads. Trust me, I know" Julia whispered as she pointed at her chest.

The look on Rachel's face made Julia cut the humor, making her decide to get serious. "Why didn't you say yes?"

"It sounds cliché, but I don't know if he's the one." Rachel said a little hesitantly.

"Cliché maybe, but honest." Julia said sincerely. "So is he just waiting with baited breath?"

"I suppose he is." Rachel felt awful at that conclusion, a feeling that made her switch the subject from her to Julia. "Alright, now let's talk about something else……something more entertaining. Maybe we could talk about your love life, how is Roger these days?"

"I wouldn't call it a love life per se; I would call it more like a romping sex-capade." Julia said as she tried to hide her enormous grin.

"Roger must be a talented man to make you grin that big." Rachel laughed out.

"The grin matches the man." Julia quipped.

"Too much information Jules."

xxXxx

Julia woke the next morning, her head pounding from the night before. She and Rachel had drank more than she thought possible, both trying to drink away the heavy emotional weight they each carried.

She sat up, squinting from the light bouncing through the window trying to adjust to the daylight. She rubbed at her eyes lethargically, gaining enough vision to glance at her alarm clock to check the time.

"Shit!" she yelped, bounding out of her bed. She moved fast, pulling on a pair of black slacks and grabbing a random blouse out of her closet. It was a quarter after nine, giving Julia fifteen minutes to get dressed and run to the MCU building for her ten minutes with Jim Gordon. Never in her life did she think that getting to her mothers old partner would be so difficult. Jim Gordon, Uncle Jim as he had been known to her in childhood, was now almost impossible to get a hold of unless you were the Commissioner or a felon of some kind.

She bounded out the building, her heels pounding the pavement as she ran through groups of people.

"Sorry!" she yelled behind her, after she barreled into a man causing his coffee to spill onto his shirt.

She made it to the front of the building just as she saw Lieutenant Gordon exiting from the doors beside her. "Jim! Lieutenant!" she yelled out.

He turned, causing his entire entourage to stop and look at her. "Julia!" he yelled back. Julia walked the few feet between them, shaking his hand in greeting upon her arrival.

"Still have those ten minutes you promised me?" she prodded.

"Of course, do you mind traveling for it? I'm on my way to another obligation I'm afraid." Gordon said regretfully.

"That's fine, let's talk and walk." Julia stated flexibly.

From the looks she received from that comment, she was sure she gained some respect from the Lieutenant's inner circle.

"I'd like to start with…."

Julia's question was sadly never asked.

It was a struggle for her to keep her cool; she felt as though the world was dead set against halting her words at every corner. They all stopped, looking down at man on the street. When Julia finally made the connection, she couldn't help but think the interruption was worth it.

At their feet was a half conscious, very dirty man with a sign around his neck. Julia recognized him as Lau, the fugitive Chinese national who had recently escaped from Gotham.

Acting quick, Gordon jumped into action. "Get him a holding cell now!" He turned, shouting commands at whoever seemed to listen. They all began moving back into the building, leaving Julia there a bit speechless.

"Julia?" Came the Lieutenant's voice from afar. "We'll have to continue later!" he shouted as he entered the building with his newly acquired link to squashing the mob, leaving Julia there in a daze.

She was going to have to do something she really didn't want to do, but it would seem that the world was leaving her no other choice.

She reached in her purse and fished around for her cell phone. Once she had it, she hit a familiar speed dial and waited for someone to pick up.

"Mr. Norton's office, how may I help you?" Samantha the receptionist answered.

"Sam, its LaPointe. I need to talk to Marty right now." Julia spoke quickly, almost slurring her words.

"He's busy at the..."

"No he's not. Tell him to take the call or I'll up and quit."

"One minute Ms. LaPointe."

Julia heard rustling on the other end; this was due to Samantha the receptionist's dim brain. _'Will she ever learn to use the hold button?'_ Julia thought crankily.

"This better be good LaPointe." Martin Norton grunted through the phone.

"Oh its good Marty, I just need to know if I have your support." She said into the small phone as she walked quickly down the street, disappearing into the throngs of citizens making their start to the day.

xxXxx

"Master Bruce?" Alfred questioned from the sitting room.

"What is it Alfred?" Bruce answered from the other side of the room.

"I would check the Gazette this morning sir, it seems to be making quite the splash." Alfred said carefully.

"Julia?" Bruce asked, knowing full well it had everything to do with her.

"Who else?" Alfred quipped with a chuckle.

Bruce walked around the corner to the dining room, knowing that all the mornings' papers would be laid out for his "entertaining" pleasure. He was thankful for it being Friday; it was the one day he ever found time to actually mill through the papers instead of Alfred.

The Gazette was at the top of the stack, boasting a headline that made Bruce ball his fists uncharacteristically in frustration. The front page headline read,

**Gotham's Unlikely Triumvirate**

_**By: Julia LaPointe**_

Bruce sat stiffly as he read Julia's retelling of one of his rare rooftop visits with Gordon, cringing at the sting that would undoubtedly follow the incriminating article. It was assumed that Gordon had a working relationship with his alter ego, but it had never been confirmed. Not that this was necessarily a confirmation, she didn't have proof, he had made sure of that. It was enough though, to make the public view Harvey Dent with scrutiny something that could ruin the one ray of hope that Gotham had.

'She has no idea what she's doing.' He thought pensively.

It was then Bruce realized that Julia had the potential to become either a liability or a contributor to the joint venture of securing some good back into Gotham. The only problem was Bruce couldn't risk her being either; but he knew he couldn't keep her out of it.

He threw the paper down onto the table, and made his way to Alfred in the next room.

"It would seem that Rachel and Mr. Dent have made quick work of arresting criminals." Alfred offered off handedly.

Bruce watched intently as the newscaster informed Gotham of the achievements of the MCU and the new D.A. It was then with vain hope that he dared think that he may not have to worry about Julia for much longer.

Bruce was starting to think that the days of Batman were now numbered in a sense, leaving the billionaire feeling a whirlpool of unsortable emotions.

xxXxx

Monday morning found Julia unnerved and un-rested, giving Roger a morning that reminded him somewhat of a carnival ride. He was learning fast that when Julia made up her mind about something, she would stop at nothing to find it. He also noted that when she didn't find it, all hell tended to break loose in her head. He couldn't figure out if it was her nature or just something the topic of Batman brought out.

"This guy, bat…..whatever the hell he is, is un-fucking-traceable!" Julia exclaimed as her pen bounced off her desk.

"Don't take it out on the poor pen LaPointe." Roger added cheekily as he rounded a corner, giving him a full view of her cubicle.

"He's a person damn it! He has to have a record, a past, and a name for Christ's sakes!" Julia leaned back in her chair and ruffled her hair out of frustration.

Roger leaned against the partition looking rather amused at the scene before him, something that happened often when his girlfriend was around.

"Anyone ever tell you that you look like a porcupine when you do that?"

"Dually noted Radcliff." Julia laughed.

"So, what time are we meeting for the Gala tonight?" Roger inquired.

Julia looked confused.

"Please tell me you remembered."

"Does this look like the face of a girl who remembered?" Julia replied back moodily.

"How about eight?" The handsome reporter suggested.

"Fine, just don't expect anything spectacular like last time." She smirked.

"I wouldn't dare." He said seriously, making Julia laugh for the first time in days.

"How do any of these people go on about their daily lives like nothing's happening around them?" Julia posed aloud.

"Perhaps that's our cities greatest weakness."

"What is...socialites?" Julia joked.

"No……….avoidance." He said sternly. With that he turned and walked away, adding to Julia's continuous list of frustrations.

"Shit." She cursed aloud, not caring at all who heard her. She put her head in her hands, hoping to god she wouldn't get another headache.

Before she could wallow too much though, her phone rang, snapping her back into reality.

"LaPointe." She greeted curtly.

"Julia its Rachel, have you seen the news?"

"No, why what's up?"

"The Joker. He dressed a man like Batman then hung him outside the Mayors window." Rachel spoke sounding a little detached.

At that moment only one phrase came to her mind, a phrase she recalled from one of her English classes at Princeton. "When one thinks profusely and cleverly, not only his face but his body too takes on a clever appearance." Julia whispered.

"What?" Rachel asked dumbfounded.

"It's a quote by Nietzsche." Julia said breathlessly.

"I don't understand."

"You all focused on the wrong center of evil Rachel, that's what it means. We should have tried harder to get this madman behind bars first."

"Julia, if we bring down the mob people like this man won't have connections. They won't be able to survive."

"You're telling me you're trying to metaphorically _kill_ out corruption?" Julia was starting to get angry.

"No that's not what……why are you being so touchy?" Rachel asked, obviously losing her calm reserve.

Julia took a deep breath, praying to whoever would listen to help her calm down. "I'm just a bit nervous. I'm sorry I snapped at you."

"Is this about Annette?" Rachel asked carefully.

"Of course it's about mom."

"Have you talked to Bruce, it might help to…."

"It's not the same Rachel." Julia interrupted.

"It's not that different either."

Julia couldn't handle her friend's suggestions any longer. "It's entirely different. I was an adult, he was a boy. I was on the other side of the damn country and he had it happen right in front of him. Bruce doesn't like to talk about his parents, and I don't like to talk about mom alright." She practically spat into the phone.

Silence.

It took a full minute for Rachel to speak, words were hard to find after being put in your place. "I'm sorry. I know you don't like to talk about it. I just wanted to tell you about the Joker, the whole point of the call was to tell you to be careful alright?"

Julia leaned onto her desk holding the phone up to her ear. "Right back at ya."

They both hung up with a feeling of foreboding, Julia feeling that the shit (so to speak) was only _about_ to hit the fan.

* * *

Author Note Cont…: So I just wanted to say, I've seen the Dark Knight a whopping 3 times already! I am a total nut, a bit fangirl about it really! Anyway, the story will follow a lot of the movie, so beware all that haven't seen it.

I want to give you all a huge thanks for sticking with this story, and being so damn supportive! I decided that I have the best readers ever. Seriously, you all rock my world with your reviews! (It's like 2 in the am right now and I am so tired!)

SHAMELESS PLUG: I posted a SB/OC oneshot (very, very mature) and a RL/OC story for those of you that read the Harry Potter Fics! If you feel so inclined check em out and tell me what you think!

Loves and cheers!

Trisky


	11. Realizations

Note: Spoilers for The Dark Knight! Beware…

* * *

Chapter Ten: Realizations

"Alright LaPointe, this is the most feminine trait I have ever seen you exhibit." Roger yelled from her hallway, as she hurried around her bedroom in a rush to get ready for the Gala they were already late for.

"Oh yeah, and what trait would that be?" she yelled back with amusement.

"I wont answer that question." He yelled back.

Julia poked her head into the hallway to see Roger in his signature position, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "Why not?" she pushed with an evil grin.

"I'm not stupid Julia, there are certain things that men just shouldn't say out loud." He stopped and laughed. "No matter how true they are." He added as she pulled her head back into her bedroom.

"How long did it take you to learn that lesson?" Julia asked as she pulled and teased at her hair in her vanity. _'Never again.'_ She thought, unnerved that she hadn't had the time to get her hair done properly.

"You mean how many times did I get my balls ripped off and mounted by ex-girlfriends for being honest?" Roger made his way down the hall to her room, trying to get a sneak peak at her outfit.

Julia stopped what she was doing and poked her head into the hall again, startled at Roger's close proximity.

"Graphic." She dead panned. "But yes, that's what I meant." She whipped her head back into the room and shouted over her shoulder, "Don't you dare peak in Radcliff, I need a little shock and awe with this dress!"

Roger laughed, knowing no matter what she wore; he'd want it ripped off of her as soon as he saw her.

"Well, I think it was my mid twenties that did it. I realized that one day I would want kids and might need my balls for that venture."

Julia was glad that she was alone in her room after he spoke. It was good for Roger as well, because there was no way she could have hidden the pure look of horror on her pale face.

"What no snappy remark?" He said offhandedly, completely ignorant that his girlfriend was nearly hyperventilating in the next room.

She pulled herself together quickly, hoping that Roger wasn't dropping hints to his intentions or feelings towards her.

They were already past fashionably late, so Julia gave up on her hair, grabbed her purse off the bed and took a deep breath.

'_Don't read into it, Julia. He was just talking, just talking...' _her inner voice trailed off.

"You alright in there?" Roger's voice carried down the hall. Julia took that as her cue to move and pose like a fancy statue, displaying her outfit.

"Perfect." She replied in a low voice, surprised at the lust she felt at seeing Roger in his suit.

He turned at the sound of her voice and tried to hide his reaction. He was right; he wanted that dress off her….now. He masked his face as he walked to her, not wanting to give away too much of his thoughts away.

He moved to her and took her hand, bringing it up to his lips. "You look," he paused dramatically. "alright."

Julia laughed and hit him over the head with her leather purse. "You still haven't learned the right things to say it seems."

"You love it." He quipped.

"Let's go. The sooner we get there the sooner we can get out."

"I don't understand, you dress up like that," Roger gestured to her widely. "and then you want to stay for maybe thirty minutes?"

"What's your point?" Julia asked as she walked to the door.

"Well, can you just enjoy the party tonight? I know the lot of them can be a bit suffocating, but you could enjoy it if you let yourself." He said as he opened the door for her.

Julia realized then that Roger may never be more than a notch on her belt.

* * *

They arrived at The Rosalind Hotel arm in arm, bracing themselves for the throng of gleaming, scheming socialites Julia knew would descend upon them. Sure enough, the handsome couple had only been in the massive crystal ballroom for a few minutes before Julia was escorted in one direction and Roger in the other. It seemed that two months hadn't killed the commodity of her involvement at Bruce's party with the Joker, if anything it prolonged the excitement for the women who brisked her away.

Julia hadn't shown her face at a social function since that night, her vulnerable side holding her back. At her age, she knew that with caring came vulnerability but that didn't mean she had to like it or even accept it yet. When you cared you inevitably got hurt, and for Julia, the person she was getting hurt for had better be worth it. So, it was out of this mentality that Julia starting dating as an adult, leading of course to her inability to have a long term relationship. Nobody was ever worth the pain.

Luckily it didn't take long before she was rescued by a fashionable Rachel from her slew of gossiping upper class air heads.

"Would you mind if I stole away Julia here for a moment?" Rachel asked kindly as she began to whisk her friend off.

"Oh sure dear, just remember to bring her back to us! We have so much to talk about!" A woman known as Christine Coltrane said as she waved them away.

When they made it out of ear shot, Julia practically cheered. "Thank you! I was barely there for a few minutes before I wanted to make some trophy heads, if you know what I mean." Julia sneered.

"Well, your not the only one that needed saving. I say we stick together for the rest of the night, then that way we can share the unbearable scrutiny." Rachel said, shocking Julia with her conspiratorial behavior.

"I haven't heard you talk like that since we were kids! I like it, but let's try to stay under the radar…the less attention we draw the better."

"Impossible." Rachel said with a drink from her glass.

"Why?" Julia questioned curiously.

"Have you seen what you're wearing?" Rachel looked Julia up and down, hoping to illustrate her point.

"Seriously? I thought it was low key." Julia said with a twirl.

"The color maybe but Julia, the dress is not in any way making you invisible; especially to men." She added with a look Julia didn't understand.

"Ah that reminds me, have you seen Bruce?" Julia asked as she looked around the room.

"Speak of the devil." Rachel said as she saw Bruce enter the room. Three women were hanging on his arms like brightly dressed monkeys, making Rachel smile knowingly. She knew how much he hated keeping up the playboy aspect of his persona, and wondered how he did it so well. Even she wanted to believe it.

Julia turned and viewed the same site but with a little less understanding. She didn't have the benefit of Rachel's knowledge, nor did she have the more graceful attitude the other woman embraced. The lack of those attributes, along with Julia's impatience and lack of tolerance caused a mini fire storm to erupt in her belly at the site. This wasn't the Bruce that she had known, hell it wasn't even the Bruce she had come to know over the past few months.

'_Why does he keep up this charade?'_ Julia thought heatedly.

"Well, well, looks like someone had fun in the sun." Julia said loudly as Bruce approached her and Rachel.

"The girls said they wanted some sun after suffering Gotham's nasty weather." Bruce sang out, sounding to Julia like a bored mental patient.

Bruce looked his two childhood friends over, happy to see all three of them together again. Rachel looked lovely as always to him, but when his eyes moved to Julia his brain took a momentary leave of absence. She was wearing a long beaded gown in black, a gown that left nothing and everything to your imagination. Bruce's thoughts became abstract as he viewed her, things like time freezing as he made an ass out of himself.

Julia and Rachel looked at Bruce, both wearing matching expressions that said _'What the hell is wrong with you?'_

Bruce noticed this and with tremendous effort he pulled his eyes away, pulling them straight to Rachel. "Rachel, where is your other half this evening?"

"Most likely hiding in a broom closet, trying to find a little peace, Bruce are you all right?" Rachel said irritably as Bruce glanced a look at Julia.

"Fine." He said blandly, regaining more of his brainpower back. "Julia?" Bruce said suddenly. "Would you like to dance?"

"Sorry?" Julia faltered.

Bruce cut the act for one brief moment, and acted like himself. "Would you like to dance?" He repeated.

Julia stood there, her mind lost to the question. Bruce? Dance?

Rachel nudged her side, causing her to jump from the shock of the elbow hitting ribs. It was just an added bonus to Rachel that when Julia lurched, Bruce's hand had been extended.

He took her hand, and without giving Julia a moment to think, he pulled her to the dance floor.

They settled into each other comfortably as they began to sway to the old sounding jazz band. Bruce kept her close to his body, relishing in the warmth she provided him with on so many levels. He could still look into her eyes, something he took advantage of right then to deal his hand.

"Why did you write that article?" he said sternly, waking Julia from her uncharacteristic trance.

"Excuse me?" she said dazed.

"Do you have any idea what your doing?" Bruce kept on. "You risked the influence and public opinion of two corruption free people. They're good men Julia, don't ponder to your profession and ruin the first golden streak Gotham's had in decades."

"What the hell does it matter to _you_?" Julia snapped at him, trying to use her aggression to hide the small hopeful light bulb that went off in her head.

Bruce pulled her closer, their bodies as close as they could make them. "I thought your piece was to interview the powerful men in Gotham? Why the change in direction?" Bruce sneered as he twirled her around.

She twirled back into him violently, showing her contempt for such a question. "Why the change in direction?" she mimicked. "Let's see….one of the men I was interviewing decided to up and leave on a 'pleasure cruise' with a basket full of ballet dancers, sound familiar to you?"

"What does my social life have to do with your story?" Bruce asked, knowing the game she was playing. She was hiding something.

"Damn it Bruce, _you_ left me no choice!" she said loudly, drawing many glances from around the floor. "I had to fall back on that article to save my job." She hissed in his ear as they turned to the music.

They were silent for a minute, neither really knowing what to say to each other. As it would turn out, Bruce would be the first one to break the silence.

"You had a choice; you didn't have to run that story. You didn't do it out of desperation Julia; you did it out of spite."

"I did not!" she shot back at him. "I don't feel spiteful toward Dent or Gordon, why would I." She said, as if that were common knowledge.

"Why would you do a lot of things?" Bruce fired back.

"Do you ever direct some of these inquiries at yourself Bruce?"

Bruce gripped her waist then, a movement that made Julia's heart warm against her will. "Julie you have the opportunity to help promote the small bit of goodness that's in Gotham right now. You have an obligation to report honestly and fairly."

"What was so unfair about the damn story anyway? I reported what I saw, nothing more nothing less."

"Cite your sources." Bruce challenged.

Julia froze mid sway, her mouth open in shock. Bruce didn't let her stay that way for long before he pulled her back into his rhythm.

"How…" Fate, as it would seem, had decided to cut their heated conversation with the arrival of an angry looking Roger.

"May I cut in?" he asked icily.

"By all means." Bruce said casually, sliding back into his playboy persona.

Bruce let Julia go; hoping that the eyes that were on them didn't see his hesitation in doing so. Roger stepped in, almost pushing Bruce out of his way as he tried to demonstrate his possessiveness.

Once Bruce was out of ear shot. Roger laid into his flustered girlfriend. "What the hell was that Julia?"

"We were dancing Roger, what do you think we were doing?"

"What did he want?" Roger demanded.

Julia looked at him as if she'd never seen him before. "Roger, what is wrong with you?"

"Oh I'm sorry, was I supposed to be ok with you practically throwing yourself at another guy in front of half of Gotham?" Julia winced at his words as if stung.

She jerked herself free from him and walked off the dance floor, she didn't get far before a hand on her shoulder made her turn around. The owner of the hand looked scared at her deadly expression.

Jim Gordon had never seen such a killer stare in his life, not even from his wife. "Julia, I need you to come with me please." It was a statement, not a request.

"Oh god, not you too!" Julia threw her arms in the air.

Gordon took her arm without answering to her exclamation, moving her toward the back exit.

"Jim," Julia spoke, slightly alarmed. "What's going on?"

They kept moving, Gordon not taking any chances with time. He knew it wasn't on their side. "We think that the Joker has made a threat on your life. We need to get you somewhere safe right now."

"Does this have to do with that video he sent to the press earlier today?" She pursued.

Her question was answered though by the appearance of Harvey Dent falling into step with her and the Lieutenant, escorted by two other officers.

"What is this Gordon? I won't go into hiding because a madman thinks he can kill me." Dent said haughtily.

"Your not. You're going to the MCU and waiting for me there." Gordon answered, still holding on to Julia's arm.

"Is that where you're taking me?" Julia asked as she pushed through the revolving doors, breathing in the night air with a shaky breath.

"Not exactly." Gordon answered vaguely as he helped her into the back of a large black SUV.

The door closed behind Julia and Harvey, leaving them there alone in silence.

"What about Rachel? Were you able to tell her you were leaving?"

Harvey looked at her from the corner of his eye. "No, but I think she'll figure it out. She knows I wouldn't leave with Gordon like that unless it was important."

It was then, as if on cue, Dent's phone began to ring in his pocket. He answered, and had a brief conversation with who Julia suspected was the girl in question.

He hung up the phone and looked at Julia. "Rachel wanted me to tell you she loves you and everything will be all right."

'_Alright'_ Julia muttered. Things were going to be far from alright.

* * *

The drive was short making Julia wonder where the hell they were going. She was still in her beaded mermaid cut gown, feeling extremely uncomfortable and suffocated by it. She and the D.A. didn't share many words during the ride, making it an uncomfortable journey.

The door on Dent's side opened up to a dark building, the flickering street lamp adding a flare of danger to the scene.

"Julia, this is your stop." Gordon said with an outstretched hand.

She took it hesitantly and with help from Harvey maneuvered her way out the door, struggling the whole way with her bulky attire.

She knew the place instantly. "Jim no! I will not put your family in danger!" She whispered.

"Julie, this is the only safe place I can think of right now. I have to make sure nothing happens to you."

"No!" she hissed at him.

"Go inside now or I will have you put there by force." A very frustrated and stressed Gordon ground out.

"Who are the other targets?" Julia prodded, needing to know what was happening around her.

"If I tell you will you get in the damned house?" Gordon briskly asked.

"Yes."

"Surrilo, Dent and Commissioner Loeb." He listed off. When he finished, he pushed Julia towards the door.

"You're kidding me right?" Julia said incredulously.

"Go!" he pointed to the meager house in front of them.

Without a word, Julia made her way to the door. It was Jim Gordon's behavior that scared her more than anything. Never a man prone to over reaction, she knew his fear was genuine, so she relented.

* * *

Chaos. Total chaos.

That was the only way to describe the following days in Julia's life; in Gotham's life.

A judge and commissioner were gone, bringing the fear and anger to Julia's feet. She stayed with Gordon's family for three days, hiding and feeling like a coward for it. What would have happened to her if she hadn't been whisked away that night? That thought was one that she tried desperately to push into the back of her mind. She had taken the three days of hiding and thought about many things. Bruce, Rachel, her mother. They were the most important people that had ever entered her life, which is what led her to the decision of pulling the plug on Roger. She had been able to call him briefly to tell him she was safe, but in the midst of the conversation she told him to give her space. He wasn't on the list of people she wouldn't live without, and in their current situation, that list was important to her.

It wasn't a shock to figure out who the _most _important person was.

Julia pulled herself out of her make shift bed on her hosts couch, and moved to the bathroom to change into a pair of borrowed cloths from Gordon's wife. Today was the day Commissioner Loeb was being remembered, and Julia had had enough of being the one in hiding. She had things she needed desperately to research, both on personal and professional levels.

In other words, Julia had work to do.

* * *

Authors Note: So how much do you all love me right now?! I wrote this in a 24 hour period because the response to this story, and the last chapter were so great! Your reviews have really inspired me to grease up the keyboard and go at it! (That sounded a little dirty...)

Anywho, I have seen DK 5 times now, so I have sealed my place as the nerdiest chick I know! Sound the Trumpets and cheesy Rocky theme music!!

So let me know what you think and all that, and if you've made it this far down the page……don't you think it would be a waste to not review? (I will use trickery and guilt if I have to!)

I love you all!

Trisky ;)


	12. The Five W's

Hey hey! I decided to post a poll on my page and I would naturally suggest you check it out! Also it would be wrong of me to not give a huge thank you to ohiojones for editing the bulk of this chapter, and telling me that it was in fact good!

* * *

Chapter Eleven: The Five W's

Julia made her way down the desolate Gotham street that led to her fifth story apartment, almost running to save time. She had left the Gordon's home early in the morning, not giving Barbara a chance to talk her out of her present course of action but she still felt a sense of urgency.

Her list of things to do before the ceremony for Commissioner Loeb kept growing as the fear in her stomach kept erupting when she thought about what she wanted to do. Her plans weren't too dangerous themselves, but it seemed to her that after two of the four threatened personalities in Gotham were killed she needed to take pains to keep her self as low to the ground as possible.

As she entered her building, memories of her mother began flooding her mind. Old tid-bits of advice she was given as a girl, things she thought were ludicrous at the time to know, were proving to be rather useful to her now. Having had a mother for a cop certainly had its benefits, but Julia had never felt so thankful for them until now.

She opened the door to her apartment, a feeling of apprehension washing over her. She kept a bat hidden in her coat rack, stashed in the umbrella holder. She grabbed it as she made her way in, taking no chances.

After what she thought was a quick yet thorough check of her little one bedroom dive, she began her first and most vain mission. Changing her appearance. With an expected assassination on the Mayor this afternoon and being a woman named by the Joker as well, Julia decided before she had even left the safety of her hideout that she would have to change drastically.

She poised herself over the sink in her much neglected looking bathroom, the scissors in her hand. With one big intake of breath, Julia pulled her hair out to the side and cut the bunch in one swift motion. She kept at it until she was satisfied with the length, feeling that it was different enough to disguise her. She pulled a box of dye out of the bag she had brought with her, looking it over with a cringe.

'_I hope this is worth it'_ she thought, as she began working through the instructions and applying the smelly goop to her hair.

An hour later she looked in the mirror, not recognizing the woman looking back at her. She laughed outright, holding her stomach; the shock of what she had just done washing over her person. In sixty minutes, Julia went from her elegant wavy brown locks that had gone down to her mid back, to hair that now came down to her collar bone and was a deep rich red.

Now that she was set with a new look (that she couldn't wait to see a stylist for, it was a rough 'trim' for sure.) she dressed in her own clothes, taking into consideration what would be the least flashy. She then made her way to her desk on the other side of her apartment where the bulk of her time would be spent before her sojourn to the largest gathering Gotham had seen since the death of Thomas and Martha Wayne.

'_Alright, lets see what we know about you, you little fucker'_ she said out loud as she dove into her papers, pictures, and documents she had collected regarding the Joker.

x.x.X.x.x

Bruce and Alfred were embarking on research of their own involving the Joker and his threat against the Mayor. Bruce was coming to realize that the threat this mad man had made was not idle, but what he couldn't figure out was why he would announce it so blatantly. He had thought that criminals were simple, but the Joker was proving that his teachings may have been grossly inaccurate.

He busied himself as Alfred cross referenced matches with a fingerprint they had found from a bullet hole (left at a crime scene sponsored by the Joker) with apartments near the parade route for the remembrance ceremony for the deceased Police Commissioner.

Bruce rolled his bike out of a side room, moving rapidly toward the lift that pushed him up and out to the docks.

"I got one!" Alfred exclaimed as Bruce made his way to the platform. "Melvin White, 1502 Randolph apartments. Overlooks the dais. Aggravated assault, moved to Arkam twice." He listed off as his young master began drifting out of site, the revving of his mode of transport echoing in Alfred's ears.

Bruce sped off like a bat out of hell, determined to see that another life wasn't lost.

x.x.X.x.x

"Melvin White." Julia muttered as she jumped up and grabbed her coat.

It had taken her around three hours to come up with a name, but if her instincts were right it was well worth it. Somewhere in her research Julia had found a fax that Roger had left in her pile of research materials.

They had both been working covertly to find information on the Joker as well as Batman in the weeks following Bruce's ill fated soiree, Julia conceding to Rogers prodding after a few weeks of keeping her Batman research a secret. If Gordon, Bruce, or Rachel found out the lengths she had gone to get a photograph or meet a potential informant she may be already six feet under. That was still one thing she admired, and always would admire about Roger Radcliff….he was ruthless when he wanted to nail a story.

That fax is what led her to what she didn't even know she wanted; it led her to an immediate course of action that involved the day's events. Her original plan was to review her material on the crazy sociopath and see if she could find a base or even a name to aid the police or Batman (whoever she could get to listen to her). Her motives were simple.

Julia LaPointe didn't like to hide.

The fax had a list of names; Arkam patients that had been released that had afflictions that the Joker could manipulate. The list wasn't narrow by any means, it boasted nearly seventy-five names, but Julia had been sparked by the find.

The chances of the Joker using a man with severe psychological problems was promising.

'_But how would that be of use to him today?'_ She had found herself thinking.

That was when it hit her. Location.

There were many safe houses and low rent building along the path of the parade. Of that she was sure. So she did what any eager journalist who wanted her life back would do, she found every address for every man on that damnable list.

After two hours of lists and maps, Julia found the only man that had an apartment along the parade route. So it was with haste that she threw her coat on and made her way out the door.

As to what she was going to do, well that was another matter entirely.

x.x.X.x.x

The air hit Julia's neck as she came into the late morning air, a feeling that she hadn't expected. There was still hair that covered it, but not as thickly and fully as her previous style had. She had nearly forgotten about the change in her appearance in the rush of all her investigating.

Julia walked four blocks away from her building and hailed a cab, something she rarely did.

"How close can you get me to the barricade?" she asked the cabbie as she slid in.

"Rolling's Avenue." His southern drawl echoed into the back.

"Rollings it is then." She said as the cab shot off into traffic.

It didn't take long as the mass of cars that usually littered the streets of downtown Gotham were tucked away, fear and the potentially grim event ahead making residents stay home or venture to the barricades as a bystander to the services.

When the cab came up to the curb and stopped, Julia hesitated, staying stuck in her place in the lurid, mold smelling box of a cab.

"Staying or goin' sweetie?" The driver drawled.

She threw some money through the glass partition, and steadied her nerves. It wasn't as if she was going to do anything herself, she was just going to alert Gordon…if she could even get to him.

She started down the south end of the street, looking at the numbers and names of the buildings, just to make sure she was correct about her assumptions. She was coming up to an ally way, lost in her thoughts when a motorcycle came up behind her almost leveling her in its haste.

It pulled swiftly into the ally, leaving a gust blown Julia behind….and very pissed off.

"Hey!" she screamed, running down the ally. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

Apparently the helmet rendered him deaf because the man got off his bike and completely ignored Julia.

"Hey!" Julia yelled again, not sure exactly what she was trying to do. It seemed that she was just taking out her emotion on the seemingly unknown man.

Then he took his helmet off.

"Bruce?" she ground out as she strode up behind him and smartly slapped him hard upside the head.

Bruce grabbed her hand at the impact, making her cry in pain as he spun her arm behind her back.

"Bruce let me go!" she screamed in pain and aggravation.

"Julia?" he said with irritation. "What the hell are you doing here?" Bruce let her go and backed up to see her properly.

If he hadn't known her face like the back of his hand, he wouldn't have had a clue that the woman before him was someone he knew. He saw that Julia was holding her arm, grimacing, but he didn't have time to be the caring man he wished he could be.

"Julie," he spoke seriously, grasping her shoulders. "you need to get out of here."

"What are you doing here Bruce?" Julia ignored his so called advice. Her eyes roamed over at the building he was about to enter and suddenly it hit her.

She began backing up slowly, a look of terror on her face. Bruce saw this and was confused to say the least.

"What's wrong Julia? What is it?" He pushed, becoming aware that she was scared.

She pointed her finger at him wordlessly, her mouth trying to formulate something to say. For the first time since Bruce had met her, she had nothing to say.

"You…you're…are you…" she stuttered, bracing herself to sprint when and if she had to.

Comprehension dawned in Bruce's mind. "Julia, go and try to warn Gordon that you think you know where the shooter is." He rushed out as he looked down at his watch. "It's not me, Julia, now GO!" he bellowed, trying to get her to understand as best he could without going into detail. He turned and entered the building like a cat stalking its prey, leaving a befuddled Julia behind.

She didn't need long before she sprang into action, and sprinted down the ally and back to the street. Questions raced through her mind as she went, her breathing becoming ragged only after a few short minutes.

'_God I need to get in shape._' she thought as her sneaker clad feet hit the pavement.

She took a corner, and ran straight into the back of a throng of people that effectively slowed her down. Pushing through proved to be difficult, but Julia didn't care who she aggravated in her haste to find the Lieutenant. So she pushed, shoved, and yelled her way to the front of the barricade line and worked her way in line to the dais.

"Excuse me?" Julia stopped and addressed a riot officer. "Excuse me sir?" she tried again, tapping the uniformed man on the shoulder.

"Ma'am, please stay behind the line." He reprimanded.

Julia knew only one course of action would get her recognized; so she grabbed the starched collar of the officer and pulled him down close to her face.

"Listen here asshole; I don't have the time for this. I need you to listen to me and take me to your Lieutenant." Julia growled unnaturally.

The officer grabbed her wrists and pulled them down roughly. "Grab me again and I'll kick the shit out of your pretty ass."

It was at that moment that Julia realized the silence around her. The Mayor had started his speech, quieting the crowds on the street. With one last glare at the obviously corrupt or corruptible cop, Julia began pushing her way forward.

At a loss at what to do, she kept moving. She looked and saw Gordon, Rachel and Dent seated behind the Mayor; Gordon's eyes moving about like a hawk. Seeing the Lieutenant so apprehensive caused Julia to stop and look up at the Randolph Apartments across the street from her; the world around her began to melt away as she searched every window for any sign of foul play. Distantly she heard the Honor Guard begin their shots, each seeming like a count down for disaster.

"**Bang!"** Julia looked around at the high building frantically, her neck stinging from the angle.

"**Bang!"** The second shot rang; a bird's eye shooter perched above Julia shot with the Guard as he stood on a fire escape. The shot was at a window at Randolph apartments, making Julia think one thing….._'Bruce.'_

She could feel it coming; something was going to happen any minute. Everything in her body rushed to instinct and Julia was at a complete loss at what to do.

Her pained neck turned and looked back to the Mayor, standing formally behind the podium and waited to see if she was right. She wanted to run, move, scream, do anything…..but there was nothing that she could do. It was like the world moved in slow motion and then moved too fast all at once.

As the third** "Bang!"** rang in the air, Julia saw Gordon dive in front of the mayor.

Pandemonium erupted. The officers that filled the streets were now scattering to the barricades, after what…Julia could only guess.

That was when it all connected in her mind. Amid the chaos and confusion, fear and screaming, Julia realized what she had just witnessed.

Lieutenant James Gordon had been shot.

x.x.X.x.x

"Jim!" Julia screamed, her feet guiding her as fast as they could to the dais ahead. She didn't get far before an officer grabbed her and began pulling her back the way she had come.

"No! Let me go!" she pleaded, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. She pulled away, ripping herself free and breaking into a dead run.

A pair of hands found Julia's midsection, holding her back for a second time. Sucking in air from the jolt, she pulled and thrashed. The grip was strong, and despite her efforts she felt her feet lift from the ground; her captor was efficiently pulling her away.

"Get off of me!" she cried. "JIM!!" It was no use; she was being drug off the street. Julia went limp, her body becoming like dead weight as she succumbed to emotion.

Her body was turned by the hands that held her, enveloping her in a warm and comforting embrace as she shook and wailed. Careless as to who her aid was, she clung and expended out the grief and shock that over took someone when they lost another.

Bruce held her, knowing that she needed a moment before he took her away and placed her somewhere safe. He couldn't wait long though; his thoughts were over taking him with plans and lists, trying to prioritize his plan of action. Neither he nor Julia had time to waste, so Bruce lifted her into his arms and began striding through the street and to his bike.

It was only when he had placed her on the leather seat facing forward, that she seemed to come aware of her surroundings.

Julia looked up through her tear glazed eyes and jerked with realization. Bruce had taken her away. Bruce had held her back.

"Damn it Bruce!" she wailed as she began punching his chest in a feverous rage. She just kept pounding hoping it would make her feel better.

It didn't.

After a moment of her grief induced tirade, Bruce grabbed her wrists and finally spoke.

"We need to get you somewhere safe." He said calmly. "Now swing your leg over the bike and scoot back." He said evenly, trying to sound controlled.

Julia complied a little wide eyed and scooted back with a swing of her right leg. Bruce sat in front of her and started the engine with a resounding roar.

"Hold on." He demanded. Julia noticed that it wasn't so much a command as it was a precautionary warning for her safety as he revved it to life. Without a second thought, Julia wrapped her arms around him. As soon as her hands linked Bruce sped off, the closeness of her burning his body with sensation as they went.

x.x.X.x.x

It felt like it had only taken minutes for Julia and Bruce to arrive in front of the elevator that led to his Penthouse; time seemingly obsolete in Julia's shattered mind. Bruce led her into the stuffy box as the doors '_binged_' in arrival, guiding her by the hand.

They sat in the elevator in silence, Bruce never letting her hand go. It wasn't tense atmosphere, but both knew that neither was at ease. Julia wasn't sure what was making her so malleable to her circumstances, her trademark resistance and self suffiencency were out for the moment it seemed.

They stepped off the contraption and entered the foyer, Bruce still gripping her hand like a life line as he moved further into his home. Alfred met them almost instantly, moving to envelope Julia in a fatherly hug.

Bruce finally let her go, giving her to Alfred to comfort but the butler didn't miss his reluctantcy.

"The news is reporting that a man that was apart of the Honor Guard was apprehended, but has disappeared." Alfred offered, knowing full well what was on Bruce's mind.

"I need you to keep an eye on Julia." Bruce said distractedly as he grabbed a bag by the couch.

"No one needs 'to keep an eye' on me Bruce." Julia said slowly, regaining some of her senses.

"All evidence to the contrary." He retorted blandly moving past her, making his way back to the elevator.

"Where the hell are you going?" Julia stated with frustration, following him to the unopened doors.

Bruce's tight reign on his emotions dissolved helping him to blow up at the woman in front of him. "Julie, I will tie you to a chair if I have to. Stay here and don't leave." He growled, taking Julia off guard.

"I need to go to the hospital. I have to see Jim." She all but pleaded.

Bruce dropped the bag and moved to stand mere inches away from her, making her want to step back in reflex. "Do you want to die?" he challenged.

"No." she snapped at him, her tone matching his.

"Then stay put." He stated simply. "Don't underestimate Alfred either; he can be hostile if he needs to be." Bruce quipped, turning and walking into the now open doors of the elevator.

"Bruce?"

"Yeah?"

The doors began closing cutting Bruce out of Julia's view. "Be careful out there."

The last thing she saw was Bruce's uncomforting smirk as his disappeared from sight.

* * *

Authors Note: Oh my god you guys! I can't even believe how many people are reading this story! It's because of you that I have been working so diligently to push out the chapters, you guys help keep me passionate about the story.

So many things are in the works for these two (not to mention Harvey and Rachel) and I wanted to just keep going with it in this chapter. It's like an exercise in restraint I swear!

Again, THANK YOU! to everyone that's taking the time to review. It really, really matters to me! If I could I would give you all a really big hug!!

Sorry for the long note, and remember; drop me a line and tell me what you think, and if you have any ideas or suggestions I am open to all of that!

Purple purple for furple, banana fanna fo furple, me my mo murple, PURPLE……Button button bo button, banana fanna fo futton, me my mo mutton, BUTTON! (I am getting good at the trickery methods!)

Cheers,

Trisky


	13. Revelations

Note: New pole on my page, give it a look see!

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Chapter Twelve: Revelations

"_Today is another sad day for Gotham as another political figure is slain. Good evening, I'm Mike Engel and this is Gotham Tonight."_

Julia couldn't look away from the large screen in front of her, she made herself watch; she had to hear it confirmed before she could believe it.

"_During another assassination attempt by the Joker, Gothamites lost the dedicated and seemingly indestructible Jim Gordon, head of the newly founded Major Crimes Unit….."_

Jim was dead.

Julia sat there with her hands folded neatly in her lap, rigid as a pole. She was in the main area of Bruce's Penthouse leaving her in plain sight of Alfred, although she was unaware of his watchful eyes as she sat there stunned.

Without warning, Julia's sanity cracked. She stood up and grabbed the first thing she could find. A glass vase became the victim of her wrath; she threw it to the other side of the room, smashing it against the wall with a loud crash.

Alfred stole this as his opportunity to talk with her and try and calm her down. It wasn't that he cared about her being destructive, he was genuinely afraid she may in fact hurt herself.

She saw him from the corner of her eye and froze; fearing that her outburst would anger him, if that was even remotely possible to do.

"Alfred….I'm…" Julia started shaking with emotion, letting the tears spill down her flushed cheeks.

"Hush now." He spoke, pulling her into an affectionate hug.

It was only when she felt that comfort that Julia finally began to break down for the first time since her mother's death. "Why Alfred?" she cried out into his chest. "I don't understand why this mans doing this." She sobbed, gripping him like a life line.

Alfred held her tight and stroked her hair in a fatherly manner. "Men like him don't care about the ripples and effects of what they do; some men, they just want to watch the world burn."

Julia pulled away snuffling and wiping her eyes. "He was the only one who understood when my mother died. He said to me," she paused to take in some air. "he said to me when my mother died that being her partner was one of the highlights of his life, that meeting her and knowing her was a great privilege. He told me he would always be there for me if I needed him Alfred. Now he's dead!" Her anger was returning, helping her push down her more vulnerable emotions.

"Perhaps a bit of supper? You look as though you haven't eaten in days." Alfred said with a smile, clearly knowing her better than she thought. He knew he had to get her mind detached if only for a few moments.

"Supper?" she mocked with an English accent, trying her best to push away the murderous thoughts that were engulfing her. "That would be lovely, thank you." She said as he put an arm around her shoulders and took her away from the anxiety inducing television.

As they walked past the foyer a voice called out to them, startling the detailed butler.

"Julie? Alfred!" Rachel called out as she quickened her pace.

"Rachel!" Julia all but yelled, making her way to hug her friend.

They pulled apart, both recognizing the others reluctance to break down into tears.

"Julie, have you heard about…"

Julia cut her off. "Jim? Yes, I have."

Rachel nodded in understanding.

"What are you doing here?" Julia said, effectively breaking the silence.

"Harvey called while I was at MCU. He told me to get somewhere safe."

"Well it looks like Bruce has created a haven for the damsels eh?" Julia tried and failed to attempt humor.

"We were about to have a bit of supper if you would like to join us in the kitchen?" Alfred extended to Rachel politely.

Rachel nodded in acceptance as she dropped her belongings casually in the wide hallway.

Julia lagged behind before deciding she couldn't hold down food.

"Actually Alfred, if you don't mind I think I might go and lie down. I'm not feeling very well."

Alfred and Rachel turned around to look at her with worry, making Julia wonder why they were so worried about her in the first place.

"If you need anything," Rachel started with only a hint of suspicion in her tone. "just give a yell."

"Thanks, I'll be out later." Julia said with a turn. She made her way through the open living room and through to the bare hallway. She went to the only room she knew had a bed hoping that Bruce wouldn't mind that she took his bed yet again. She fell back onto the bed with a sigh and curled herself up protectively, her body mimicking the effects of her emotions. She closed her eyes and gave into a thought that she had been pushing off for some time.

The thought or thoughts rather, went through her head like a chant, making her feel crazy with confusion. _"Since when did I start caring about Bruce?...Damn it Julia, when did you not care about him?" _

Julia just clutched the pillow her head rested on, trying with all her might to will her mind to rest.

x.x.X.x.x

"How is she doing Alfred?" Rachel asked as soon as her pale and teary eyed friend was out of ear shot.

"As well as one would be I presume. She threw a vase earlier, an action that was worth the clean up I believe." The smirk on the older mans features did not go unnoticed by Rachel.

"How did she get here?" Rachel had every intention on riddling out why Julia looked as broken as she did.

"Master Bruce was kind enough to drop her off before leaving for the evening." Again she did not miss the subtlety in the butler's words. "Before you ask, no…I have no idea how this came about." He now sounded a bit grim.

"You don't think she'll do anything rash do you?" Rachel asked instead.

"Such as?" Alfred opened the door to the kitchen motioning for her to head inside.

"She feels a strong need to seek the truth in situations. Ever since Annette's death she has felt this responsibility to sniff out the source of things. Now, the man that worked with her mother to try and do the same things has just been killed by a homicidal menace for no real reason other than to draw out Batman." Alfred looked at her confused.

Rachel pressed on hoping that he would sense her direction soon. "Alfred, she might throw herself right in the middle of a terrible situation so she can get to the person that did this and expose them. That or she'll blame it all on Batman, and you can see how that may cause a rather huge problem." Rachel gestured around her to sink in her point.

"Ah I see. So she may hurt herself in her grief or Gotham's dark defender?"

"She can just be rash sometimes when she's overwhelmed. Who knows though, maybe she'll listen to reason this time." Rachel said as she accepted a glass of water from Alfred and took a drink.

Alfred looked at her in amusement. "Not likely I think." He said, and then turned with a chuckle to start dinner for a larger house than usual.

x.x.X.x.x

Julia laid there on Bruce's bed angry and pensive. The thought that a cowardly crazy man had killed Jim Gordon angered her, but she couldn't seem to push Bruce out of her head. Every time she thought about her trivial issues with Gotham's playboy she felt guilty. There were so many bigger things happening around her, so many things that deserved her thoughts, and damn if Bruce squeezed in there. Where the hell was he?

Julia sat up in the now dark lofty room, leaning back on the plush pillows and drawing her knees to her chest like she did when she was a little girl. She had her suspicions about where he might be but how could she prove it? Better yet, did she want to prove it? There was a large chance that she was wrong, but Julia always liked to take the chance to see if she was right. In the end the risk was always worth it…..wasn't it?

She pulled herself closer gripping her legs in thought. Julia knew that she couldn't leave, not yet, but she needed things from her apartment. She had a job to do, she had a life to live, and damn it…she wouldn't crawl into a hole.

It was with tremendous willpower that she shoved Bruce and her very foreign emotions to a back shelf in her mind and pushed herself up and off the bed. She couldn't leave, Rachel most likely shouldn't leave, but Alfred could. So it was with great renewed determination that Julia made her way to the kitchen to ask for a rather large favor.

"Leave any for me?" she asked as she swept into the crisp kitchen.

"How are you feeling?" Rachel asked her with concern, her eyes carefully watchful.

"A little better, some food would help." She said towards Alfred.

"I have some questions you know." Rachel pushed, hoping to get it out of the now redheaded woman.

"I'm sure, but not yet. My head feels like hell and I really want to put off reliving the last few days." Julia said sadly, her natural spark obviously faded.

"Nice hair by the way." Rachel said with a smirk.

"Here you go my dear, eat up…we need to get a little more weight on that figure." Alfred said seriously.

"You're the only man who could mention my figure without getting a face full of these tasty mashed potatoes." Julia retorted blandly taking a bite of the starchy food, deciding to ignore Rachel's obvious amusement over her hair.

"So Alfred, how did you enjoy your sojourn to the Mediterranean last week?" Rachel inquired, eyes sparkling.

"It was a nice departure from this gloom." Was his short reply.

"It must have been wonderful being on a boat all alone with nothing but half naked dancers." Rachel pressed, trying to make Alfred relent and give in to her suggestion from their earlier conversation.

"_She has to know Alfred."_

"_That really is up to Master Bruce." Alfred said curtly. _

"_He won't ever tell her, he won't want to risk her reaction. I know her better than that though; he may very well be putting her in danger with her ignorance." Rachel argued, sounding very much like she was in a courtroom._

"_I'm not saying I don't agree with you Rachel, I know Master Bruce better than he may know himself…but this life he's chosen, he doesn't share it with anybody." He said wisely. "I don't even fully understand it myself, but I do understand that it's his choice to let the cat out of the bag." He said with finality. _

"_Alfred, Julia is one of the smartest individuals I know. How long do you think its going to take before she sees it for herself? What then?" Rachel countered. _

"_Then god help the day they run into each other Ms. Dawes. That's a fight that even I won't want to witness….probably." he added with a dash of amusement._

"All alone? Where was Bruce?" Julia asked, drawn into the conversation, breaking Rachel's metal retelling of her disagreement with Alfred.

Silence enveloped the room. Julia looked back and forth between Alfred and Rachel, who seemed to be having a silent conversation of their own.

"Where was Bruce Alfred?" Julia pushed, her curiosity perked.

As fate would have it, the phone rang before Alfred could answer. Without a word, he moved out of the kitchen to presumably answer the phone.

"What was all of that about Rachel, he never acts so evasive."

"I have no idea." Rachel lied through her teeth.

Julia decided to let it go, for the moment, but not forgetting that it was Rachel that mentioned Alfred's solitude during his vacation.

"I didn't get a chance to ask you," Julia said becoming rather serious. "why are you here?"

Rachel looked right into her eyes with a film of fear radiating through her own. "Harvey called; he said that the Joker named me to be next."

Julia just stared at her as if she had grown two heads. "No." she said sternly to the stern faced attorney in front of her.

"Yes, and after what happened at that party I'm not all that surprised, are you?" Rachel said somberly.

They both remained quiet, neither women knowing what to say. It wasn't until Alfred came back into the room that they even attempted to try to act anything other than glum.

"Alfred, I was hoping that you may be able to do me a favor?" Julia said to him as directly as she could.

"Of course, what would it be?" He instantly replied.

"I need a few things from my apartment."

"Please elaborate Julie; I am sadly not a mind reader." His comment drew a snort of laughter from Rachel, who lamely disguised it with a nearby napkin.

"Something funny Dawes?" Julia asked irritably.

The woman in question shook her head in the negative, but still had a grin plastered across her mouth.

Julia turned back to Alfred to see the same Cheshire cat grin. "Alright what the hell is so funny!?" She yelped out.

Alfred side stepped the question and moved the conversation back to Julia's original topic. "Make a list of the things you need and where they are and I will be happy to. Just promise me that you will stay here."

"If you go, I won't have a reason to leave." Julia challenged unnecessarily, she knew he would go.

x.x.X.x.x

The list hadn't been long, laptop, files, clothing that she trusted Alfred to choose………..not having her research was almost like not having room to breath. Julia could honestly say that she didn't know what to do with herself without that stack of papers and machine that her fingers had memorized. She only had one objective with it – to keep herself busy.

This outing did leave Julia and Rachel alone, a luxury that both women were happy about. They sat on the floor in the library, backs against the plush mid-century modern furniture with wine in their hands, playing a game they knew very well in girlhood.

"Are you glad you chose to be an Attorney?" Julia asked.

"Very, it's everything I thought it would be…no regrets if that's what you're getting at."

"Not really, I just always thought it was a horrible job myself." Julia added.

"Next question." Rachel said rolling her eyes. "Did you come back to Gotham for the job or because Bruce was back?"

Every muscle in Julia's body froze at that question. Her friend was too perceptive sometimes. "Both. I had been looking for an excuse to come back anyway…..lets just say I looked harder when I found out he was here." Julia answered honestly, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks.

"Are you going to say yes to Mr. Dent?" Julia asked her question flippantly.

"Maybe. Are you going to tell Bruce how you really feel about him?" Rachel said without missing a beat.

"Damn it Rachel I don't know!" Julia through her hand to her mouth at her admission, shocked at the skills Rachel possessed. She let her hand down, her mouth still open from surprise. "Sneaky, very sneaky Dawes. How long have you known?"

"Since we were sophomores in high school LaPointe." Rachel said with a grin.

"How….but…well why the hell didn't you say anything?" Julia exclaimed with feigned anger and resentment.

"It seemed like if you wanted to talk about it you would have. I thought for sure that things would have happened for you both at Princeton."

"Yeah, well we both know how that panned out don't we?" Julia said icily.

"He's changed you know." Rachel tried defending the man who had saved her life on many occasions.

"Oh I know, he's more complicated now than a menstrual teenage girl."

"Now that was a bit graphic Julie." Rachel admonished.

"Doesn't make it any less true. He has about three personalities Rachel and I just don't think that I can keep up…." Julia stopped short her face going placid from realization.

"Rachel I need to go to the bathroom I'll be right back!" She said excitedly as she jumped from her place on the Parisian rug.

"Julie are you alright?" Rachel yelled behind her, but Julia didn't turn or veer from her course.

Julia made it to the bathroom and took in shaky breaths as she leaned against the sink. She was shaking but not from fear or sadness as she had become accustomed to over the last few weeks, no Julia LaPointe was shaking with excitement. Pleasurable amounts of excitement. For her…..Alfred could not get back soon enough.

x.x.X.x.x

Bruce came into his loft uneasily, the night's events having drained him of emotion. It was late by most standards but for Bruce, his alter ego had retired early. Alfred was most likely lying down, because he was no where to be found.

Noting the absence of his old guardian, Bruce's mind began to wander to Julia and her whereabouts. He had pushed her from his mind completely when he donned the cowl, but it wasn't without a tremendous amount of willpower on his part. Now he found that he wanted to think of nothing but her, but still knew that he could never grant himself that luxury.

He found himself thinking that he would never have the opportunity to love another wholly; it wasn't lost on him that no woman, most notably Julia LaPointe would stick around for only a portion of what they needed or wanted.

It was these thoughts that plagued him as he walked to his bedroom to think. He rounded a corner and came face to face with someone he didn't expect to see.

"Care to join me?" Rachel said as she turned and headed to a guest room.

Bruce understood that it was meant as a demand not a suggestion so he followed, feeling instantly worried.

"Bruce we need to talk." Rachel said quietly. Her back was to him, suggesting that the conversation was a bleak one.

"Rachel, what's wrong?"

"Harvey called; said Batman was turning himself in." Rachel accused.

"Rachel I have to. People can't keep dying when I can save them by doing this." Bruce declared evenly.

"Gotham needs you," she countered speaking in a controlled manner, their conversation starting to sound a bit like a dance.

"Gotham needs Harvey. Someone who can help them with the law. Dent is Gotham's defender now, with him at the front battling crime and corruption we all have a chance. He is Gotham's chance for redemption and change."

"Julie needs you." Rachel challenged putting her hands on her hips.

"Rachel…" Bruce said with warning in his intonation.

"She needs you, always has." When Bruce said nothing she continued. "She deserves to know who you are, just as mush as you deserve to tell her and be free of your guilt. Bruce, you can't give up…you can't give in."

"Rachel I have to." Bruce said through clenched teeth. He had made a decision and no one, not even Rachel Dawes, would talk him out of it. He turned and walked away from her and out the door, but Rachel still managed to have the last word.

"They won't let you be together." Her voice floated into the hallway. Bruce steeled himself and kept on to his room; if he thought about all the things that he would be potentially giving up…he might not be able to go and do what he knew he had to do.

He walked into the city lit bedroom that he could barely call his own, seeing as he spent so little time there, and halted at the sight before him. Julia was asleep on his bed, papers strewn all around. She was lying back on the pillows, curled up on her side, her newly shortened hair a wild mess around her.

Bruce just stared openly, for once not having to keep up his mask of confusing indifference. She looked so peaceful in slumber, her face dropping that mask of a hard and serious journalist. Bruce would have ventured to call her angelic if he didn't know her better.

That thought brought a smile to his face.

He wanted to wake her up and talk to her, share his inner demons and current circumstances…but he knew he couldn't. If he left her in the dark, she would have a chance to move on – go forward and live her life. Giving in to his whirlwind of emotion for her would only make it harder for them both in the end. He moved past her to the enormous windows before him and looked out to the city his parents had died for. He stood there lost in his thoughts for what seemed like hours before he heard the rustling of papers behind him.

x.x.X.x.x

Julia awoke in the dark, nothing but the dim lights of the city shining through, illuminating Bruce's bedroom from almost all sides. She pulled herself up and rubbed her eyes, trying to discern when she had fallen asleep. Looking down the bed, she saw the clusters of papers she had been highlighting and dissecting and her task came back to her as suddenly as it had hours before.

Bruce Wayne was Batman.

She still couldn't be sure, there was no real evidence that could lead anyone to him….but there was enough to make Julia believe it. Not only did dates, times and disappearances add up, but her instinct told her she was right.

The only thing Julia LaPointe trusted whole heartedly was her instinct.

As if fate had it out for her, Julia saw the outline of a man near the bed she resided on, and her breath caught in her throat making her eyes go wide with nervousness. What was she supposed to say? Was she supposed to say anything? She had no clue what to do, and that was when the fear set in.

The Joker was commanding that Batman show himself. If her assumptions were correct, then Bruce was in greater danger than anyone involved in this sadists acts of anarchy.

She tried to get up slowly without making any noise, but the papers around her made it difficult. She cringed when the papers scrunched under her movements; knowing that she had lost the element of surprise she pushed herself to the edge of the bed without concern and made her way around the bed and behind Bruce.

"You're dressed up rather early." Julia said her voice heavy with sleep.

"I thought I'd get an early start." He replied without turning around to face her.

"What time is it?" Julia asked with a yawn.

"Five-thirty in the morning." Bruce said rather blandly.

Julia moved forward, coming to stand at Bruce's side. "Do you ever sleep?" She saw his mouth form into that arrogant smirk she had come to know so well.

"Not often."

"Bruce...are you alright?" Julia asked worriedly.

He turned to her then, his face contorted with unsaid emotions. "I still haven't told you how sorry I am." Bruce forced out, knowing that this would his only opportunity to give her closure.

Julia stared back at him stunned, and Bruce took her silence as his opportunity to keep talking.

"I never wanted to hurt you or take advantage of you or our friendship. I was a selfish boy then, and I want you to know that I regret the way I handled that night and everything that happened afterword." Bruce shut his eyes as he finished, seemingly trying to collect himself, which shocked Julia further…if that was possible.

It wasn't just what he had said; it was how he said it. For the first time since she had come back and encountered Bruce, he sounded like the person she had known all those years ago.

"Bruce…" Julia stopped before she finished her thought, because she had suddenly become speechless. A very unfamiliar sensation for her.

Her head was in a fog, her mind unable to zone in and focus on any one single thought or emotion. This dizzying concept most have shown clearly on her face because Bruce suddenly looked worried.

"Julie, are you alright?" His voice laced with concern, making Julia's heart speed up, the act of which helped Julia understand what was happening to her.

Bruce took her by the shoulders, shaken by her lack of speech and stirring reaction. Julia felt a jolt of life pulse through her at the contact and closed her eyes in pleasure, taking in the sensations fully.

Quite suddenly, she smiled yet again taking Bruce off guard. He was about to ask her again if she was ok when she serenely opened her eyes.

She moved into him then, making him wrap his arms around her back as she came closer. She was still as silent as ever, but Bruce was no longer reticent or concerned about her reception of his apology.

They both stood still, looking into each others eyes, Julia still smiling like she had never seen him before.

She leaned forward, resting her head in the crook of his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his strong and solid body. She sighed into his neck, letting her lips brush against the sensitive skin as she nuzzled herself into him, taking in his masculine scent.

They were pressed against one another as closely as two people could be, gripping with all the unsaid revelations and emotions that neither knew how to address.

Julia raised her head from his neck slowly, dragging it intimately across his slightly stubbled cheek, letting her lips drag along his jaw line. She heard him suck in his breath at the sensation, giving her the courage to do what she really wanted with every fiber of her being.

She brought her hands up into his hair and threaded her fingers through the course hair at the nape of his neck, causing Bruce to moan slightly at her touch. They both stared, knowing without words what was about to happen but neither brave enough to make the first move.

Bruce lost his self control first. For the first time in eight years he gave in to what he wanted most. He took her lips slowly at first, testing her reaction as he was still uncertain of what her reaction may be.

She returned the gestured just as slowly, massaging his lips tentatively as if to tell him that she wanted this too.

It was all the assurance he needed. Bruce deepened the kiss, gently caressing her mouth with his tongue.

Julia felt as if she were melting away in Bruce's arms, losing her mind with the sensations she was feeling. The mood shifted from gentle to passionate though, as they both lost all sense of self control.

Bruce began pushing her backward as their hands roamed and groped with desperate need. Their kissing became frantic as they spoke to each other physically trying to convey all the anger, resentment and guilt they had both carried for so long.

They both fell backward onto the bed and papers, laughing as they kissed each other passionately, both forgetting temporarily everything around them.

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Authors Note: How much do you hate me right now?

I am so exhausted! Getting these two to this moment took more out of me than I thought!

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, and I am terribly sorry that this chapter took so long to get out. I haven't been very well lately and found it hard to write while I was constantly feeling sick. I also hated writing this chapter, because it's the one that I had to write in order to get to the stuff I really am excited about!

Again, all of you who take the time to review….you are all my heroes. If I didn't get a chance to respond to your review I apologize…I will make every effort this time around to respond now that I am feeling better!

Review or….or…..I'll kill off Julia! (Grins evilly……)


	14. The Morning After

Thanks to all my anonymous reviewers who have been reviewing every chapter! I cant send you a reply so I just wanted to give you a little thank you here:

So thanks to marislily (you need to get to see DK missy!), missy88, and ally!

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Chapter Thirteen: The Morning After…

Julia slowly opened her eyes wondering when and how she had even fallen asleep. She stretched languidly, feeling happier than she had for quite some time. Memories from the hour's previous rushed back to her, making her sigh in pleasure and lingering disbelief.

She had kissed Bruce. Well, technically Bruce had kissed her, but who was keeping a record? In the end they had both been guilty of enough kissing to make it an Olympic record.

She closed her eyes, visualizing the mornings events with a smile, wondering what would happen now. She decided to turn and embrace the man that so vividly occupied her current thoughts but it seemed that she was too far away.

It was a king bed after all.

Julia rolled with her eyes still shut blissfully; hoping to come in contact with Bruce's sleeping form – but again nothing.

"Bruce?" Julia muttered sleepily.

As soon as she said his name though, another less attractive memory flooded her senses. A memory that she was now sure she should have paid heed to only hour's before.

x.x.X.x.x

_**Princeton, The night before the hearing……**_

_Julia woke, drowsy and smiling like an idiot on parade. Bruce, her Bruce, had said he wanted her. He wanted __her__! _

_It was safe to say that she was still in shock about where the night's events had taken them, but it was also safe to say that Julia didn't regret one minute of it…… _

_They had sat out by the lake well into the night, kissing and exploring each other –both completely lost to the notion of time. They didn't speak, afraid that if they broke apart some sort of spell would be broken, and they were currently too overwhelmed by the unfamiliar sensations they were provoking to risk it. _

_Hours went by before Julia decided to speak; she could no longer ignore the frozen digits that were entangled in Bruce's dark hair. The chill was distracting her from giving in to the acts they were taking part in, and she wanted to soak in every moment of his lips crashing onto her own, his mouth sucking and kissing lightly on the pulse point of her graceful neck – his hand rubbing expertly in between her legs. Her cold fingers were taking her focus away, and she was not about to let that happen. _

_She pulled away looking disheveled and thoroughly kissed. "Bruce, we need to stop." _

_Bruce froze at her words, afraid that she had come to her senses. _'It wouldn't be the worst thing." _He thought._

"_Your right." Bruce accepted her refusal to continue, wondering why his chest felt so tight at the rejection. _

_Julia understood immediately what he was thinking and rushed to reassure him that she wasn't asking him stop all together. "It's just that…well…quite honestly, I'm freezing!" She laughed out. _

_Bruce looked at her, understanding rushing to him relieving the tightness that had resided in his chest and abdomen. He took off his coat and put it around her silently, draping his arm around her shoulder as well for added warmth. _

"_Perhaps we should head back?" she offered in suggestion, feeling painfully awkward. Could he sense how aroused she still was? Were they going to forget about this and say it was a mistake? Julia couldn't tell what he was thinking but he didn't look very hopeful. _

_Bruce stood and pulled her up, linking hands to her delight. "I'll walk you back to your dorm." He told her, keeping his eyes averted. _

"_Listen I understand if you have come back to your senses Bruce, I promise I wont let this become some sort of awkward thing between us. I'll just pretend like it didn't happen if that's easier." Julia said with a tone of defeat._

"_What?" Bruce stopped and turned to her, her face illuminated with silvery moonlight. _

"_I won't become some sort of Bruce Wayne groupie." She assured him. "We're friends and I know your going through a rough time so I won't hold it against you if you…"_

_Bruce cut her off quickly with a searing hot kiss that made every nerve in Julia's body burst with sensation overload. _

"_I meant what I said back there." Bruce said passionately and it was enough for Julia. Pushing down her insecurities she gave in to the familiar sensation of trusting her oldest friend. _

_Feeling that she didn't want to let the night end, Julia drew up all the courage she could muster and asked a question that would alter their relationship forever. _

"_Bruce, do you want to come up?" she asked timidly, but soon realized that she had no need to feel at all apprehensive about his answer. His lit up face said it all._

_Bruce pulled her through the doors of Rowan Hall, kissing her madly. They stumbled loudly through the doorway, laughing, but never once losong each others lips. Bruce pushed her up against the wall, his need for her smell, taste, and lips making him uncharacteristically spontaneous. Julia didn't complain, she merely gave back what she got. _

_They heard voices down the darkened hallway, making them move from their spot on the wall and toward the staircase._

_They broke apart briefly, Julia running up ahead of him, teasing him as she swayed her hips back and forth. Bruce gritted his teeth and wondered if he was drunk. He certainly felt as though he was – how could kissing Julia make him feel so alive?_

_They made it to the second floor, where Julia pushed open the door from the stairwell and held it open with a smirk on her glowing features. _

_Bruce attacked her again, _'What is wrong with me?" _he thought as he picked her up and kissed her fervently. Julia yelped in surprise as he lifted her, but instinct soon overcame as she wrapped her legs tightly around his toned torso. _

_Bruce kept up his ardent battle for dominance in the kiss as he moved, with her around him, down the hall to her dorm._

_They had a hard time with the door, Bruce didn't seem to want to loosen his grip on her ass, and Julia afraid to let go of his neck. They both decided to try for it at the same time, their hands meeting as they both laughed and turned the metal knob. Bruce stumbled forward and losing his balance, fell forward with Julia onto her tousled bed. _

_...They had made love five times that night, both of their appetites insatiable. _

_Julia was reliving the night in her head as she sat up in her small bed, wincing at the sunlight that seemed to change the environment entirely. She looked around with sleeping eyes hoping to see Bruce, but he was nowhere to be found. _

"_Bruce?" she called out. She had a sinking feeling take over her bright and cheery disposition as she wondered where he had gone._

_That was when she saw it. _

_He had left her a note. _

"_Bruce?" she tried again weakly, but she knew it was too late…he was gone._

x.x.X.x.x

The memories over took her as she dared to open her eyes and see it for herself.

Nothing.

He wasn't anywhere in her sight, making her stomach drop from realization.

"You bastard!" she screamed violently as she jumped out of the bed, vigorously pulling at her twisted clothes thanking god, she had had enough sense to not sleep with him.

She marched out of the vast bedroom that was now illuminated by sunlight; only one goal in mind – castration.

"Alfred!" Calling out fervently, Julia put her hand up and cupped it to her mouth, tossing manners out the window. "Alfred where is HE!" she screeched out in annoyance.

"Ms. Julia, are you quite alright?" Alfred said as he practically skidded to a halt in front of her.

"Where's Bruce?"

"Well I…" Julia couldn't believe he was stuttering - something was going on.

"Where is he?" Her voice sounded as if it was laced with venom.

Alfred saw no point in lying, instead deciding to toss what Bruce has said to tell her and made to expose the truth.

"He's on his way to Harvey Dents press conference." It was the truth, just a cut off at the knees slightly.

"What times the conference?" Julia asked without missing a beat.

"Eleven o'clock if I'm not mistaken." Which he knew for certain he was not.

Julia didn't say a word as she moved for her small bag of clothes near the couch. Without paying attention to Alfred she started to violently shake out the contents of the bag, sifting through to find something that was suitable for a press conference.

"What time is it?" she asked distractedly.

"No, no, no. I think not." Alfred scolded knowingly.

"I think so." Grabbing an arm full of things, she made her way to the bathroom to change.

"I will accompany you if you give me one minute."

Julia stopped what she was doing, taking a second to consider what Alfred was up to. When she finally nodded, he reciprocated the gesture and made his way past her to seemingly get ready to escort her.

Julia trusted her instinct that told her he was lying. She was not about to let him tie her to a chair, so it was with a great amount of courage that she ran, clothes in hand, straight for the elevator.

She pressed the button and started dancing about nervously, watching the foyer like a hawk.

It felt like years passed before the _'ding' _rang into the open space, the doors opening slowly.

Julia rushed in before the doors had fully parted, pulling off her shirt and dressing like a woman possessed. She hit the door close button, her timing perfect as she saw Alfred appear just as the doors started closing.

Julia smiled in relief just before realizing she had forgotten her purse. "Fuck!" she yelled to no one as she rummaged around the clothes on the floor. Pulling off her jeans, she replaced them with a pair of black slacks, finishing her look right as the doors opened to the industrially decorated lobby.

'Now what?" she thought bitterly. Without her purse she couldn't get a taxi, and there wasn't a chance that she could run there in the pumps she now had on. She stepped out of the elevator and assessed her options.

Her thoughts were cut off though by a booming voice echoing in the lobby. "Julia?" it burst out around her making her jump and turn around in circles.

"Rachel?" she yelled back completely confused.

"I don't know if you can hear me but if you can, there's a door to your left. The code is four, seven, five, eight, seven. Go get him." Her voice disappeared as quickly as it had arrived leaving Julia stunned.

She moved without hesitation and punched the numbers into the keypad on the wall, surprised when the door actually popped open. She stepped inside and was floored at what she saw.

If she hadn't been in such a hurry she would have stayed and keyed every car in her anger, but instead she made her way to the wall where dozens of keys hung and smiled in relief.

Thank god for Rachel.

x.x.X.x.x

Julia parked the bike she so gratefully borrowed from the man she wished to kill, feeling woozy. The last time she had driven a motorcycle she had been a teenager - and it was safe to say that it was _not_ like riding a bicycle. She grabbed a nearby light post and clung to it, mentally chastising herself for her rash choice in transportation.

She stayed there until she could find control over her nausea, belatedly remembering that she hadn't taken off the helmet that did nothing but make her feel claustrophobic.

She tore it off hastily, drawing stares from bystanders as she ran her hands though her hair and threw the helmet on the bike. She left as fast as she could walk, her legs shaking from the fear she had experienced whilst driving what she now considered to be a death trap disguised as a vehicle.

It only took her a few minutes before she struck luck again. Not even ten feet away stood Roger Radcliff, waiting for the signal to walk across the street. He had to be on his way to that conference, and possibly Julia's only chance at getting in.

Hoping he didn't hate her as she feared he might, she yelled out, "Roger!"

He turned but didn't seem to see her. "Roger!" she tried again. He looked around for a second time looking right at her but turned around again. Julia, forgetting about her change in appearance strode up to him and tapped him on the shoulder with irritation.

"Roger." She said softly, hoping he would push aside any anger and resentment toward her and help her out.

He turned and looked her straight in the eyes, confusion stirring behind his hazel ones. She looked back, waiting for him to respond.

"Julia?" he said in awe.

"Hey." She said with a smile.

"What the hell happened to you?" Surprise couldn't even describe what Roger felt at seeing his ex-girlfriend.

She self consciously brought her hands to her shortened hair and laughed. "Oh well, drastic measures had to be taken." She said still laughing.

Roger looked at her skeptically, not sure what to make of her laughter. If he want mistaken, he would say she was angry about something but at what he couldn't be sure.

"Roger I know this may be awkward but I need to ask you for a favor." Julia pressed, reining in her laughter.

"What have you gotten into now LaPointe?" He said with concern and utter disbelief that she seemed to be yet again, in the midst of some variety of chaos.

"Well, I left my purse at home and I need to get into that press conference."

"Why?" Roger wasn't an idiot; she had to be on the tale of something good to come out of hiding.

"Personal reasons."

"What, are you worried about what will happen to Batman?" He joked.

"What?" Julia said completely confused.

They started walking across the street with the crowd, blending into the masses as they went forth. "Please tell me you know what this farce is about." Roger said as they walked up the stairs to the building that harbored their destination.

"Not exactly." Julia admitted.

Roger looked at her skeptically. "You really are here for personal reasons aren't you?"

She took the steps two at a time to keep up with him. "You thought I was lying?" She said as though hurt.

"I haven't seen you for the better part of a week Julia." He said irritably. "Then, you appear out of nowhere looking frazzled asking for my help. What the hell am I supposed to think?"

Julia stopped on in front of the door, shocked by the anger behind Roger's words.

He turned and looked at her, having already made his decision. Roger stared at her with an air of exasperation. "Come on LaPointe." He said with a gesture to the door. "Dent's not going to wait for us."

Julia, not caring to push her luck walked through the door, Roger following behind her.

"Red's a good color for you." He whispered in her ear, as they made their way to the press tables.

x.x.X.x.x

Julia made her way into the conference room, butterflies taking over her abdomen. She was eaves dropping like mad, trying desperately to find out what the address was all about. As she did so, hers eyes scanned the room for Bruce – anger flooding her veins as she thought about the bastard.

"If looks could kill…" Roger trailed off as he took Julia by surprise. "So, who's the unlucky chum who is on the receiving end of the famous LaPointe death glare?" He continued, clearly amused.

"No chum, I pretty much want to set the whole universe on fire." Julia said shortly.

"Its almost time, lets take a seat." Roger took her elbow and guided the distracted redhead to her chair.

As she sat the room went suddenly quiet, nothing but the sounds of shutters flapping as Harvey Dent flew in from the side door. Flashes sounded as he took the podium; thoughts of JFK same into Julia's mind as she watched him take over the room with his presence.

"I have called this press conference for two reasons," Dent started without preamble. "the first is that I would like to assure you that everything that can be done about the Joker killings is being attempted. Our tactics may seem futile, but we believe they will be more effective as we proceed in our fervent pursuit. The second is to announce that the Batman has offered to give himself up."

Julia gasped audibly at the admission, drawing eyes to her from all around the small room. Harvey was staring straight at her as he continued but Julia hardly noticed. Her eyes had found Bruce, standing nonchalantly against the wall and staring straight at her – he looked at her as though he had never seen her before.

"Let us consider this situation." Dent continued, but Julia had long since stopped listening.

'_He cant.'_ she muttered under her breath.

Roger heard her despair at the notion and out of instinct and his own need, he grasped her hand in comfort.

"Should we give in to this terrorists demands?" she heard Dent speak.

"What do you want us to do, let more citizens of Gotham die?" A journalist shouted from behind Bruce.

Julia stood and retaliated. "That's not what he's saying at all. Who are we to demand that he turn himself in when we have willingly and gratefully taken him in as our defender?"

"She has a point." Roger said from beside her, still sitting down.

Harvey continued un-phased by the commotion. "The night is darkest just before the dawn and one day the Batman will pay for laws he has disregarded."

"That day is today!" Someone shouted from the back.

Julia sat down; dread and anger restricted her line of sight. Tears were threatening to spill down her face any moment.

"So be it, take the Batman into custody." Dent said morosely.

Julia looked to Bruce then, finally finding her proof. Bruce began to step toward the podium but didn't make it far before he was halted by Harvey Dents next words.

"I am the Batman." He admitted with conviction as he thrust his writs out to be cuffed.

An outcry erupted through the crowd, everyone in shock at what they were witnessing.

Julia jerked her head to back to Dent to see that he was already being escorted out by Gotham's finest.

"What are you up to Dent." She said aloud, forgetting where she was.

"Julia what are you thinking?" Roger asked without getting the benefit of an answer. Julia had stood and was now walking toward Bruce Wayne looking utterly livid.

Julia pushed through people with a total disregard for their personal space or comfort, shoving and pushing at every turn completely oblivious to the "hey's" and "watch it's" that were yelled behind her.

She only had one thought.

Bruce had used her again.

She walked straight up to him, his eyes watching her as she approached, and slapped him as hard as she could.

"I can't believe you." She ground out with disappointment and fury.

Bruce reacted quickly by grabbing her arm and forcefully shoving her to the door that led to the lobby.

"Let me go Bruce."

"You're making a scene Julie."

"I don't give a shit if I'm causing a scene!" Julia yelled, drawing the attention of ravenous journalists.

Bruce gripped her arm tighter making her wince, but the desired effect was achieved – she shut her mouth.

Bruce pulled her outside, letting her go when they reached the massive stone stairs that led down to the streets of Gotham.

"How the hell am I supposed to protect you when you don't listen to reason Julia." He spat with what sounded like resentment.

"I don't need protection!" Julia all but screamed at him, edging closer to his face.

"Your actions consistently contradict that." Bruce snapped back at her.

"Who nominated you to the task Bruce? I certainly didn't!" That seemed to do the trick; he just stared at her open mouthed.

"That's what I thought." Julia said triumphantly.

Julia thought she should have the last word, so she spun on her heel and jogged down the steps.

Bruce was quicker than she expected and caught her before she even made it half way down.

He turned her roughly and whispered in her ear. "How long have you known?" he said shaking her slightly, internally and physically jarring her.

"For certain…..about five minutes."

Bruce grabbed her by the shoulders, relaxing his grasp and stated simply and in a more pleasant tone. "We need to talk."

* * *

_Authors Note:_ I hope you all love me right now! I was so excited to get to this part I just had to post it now! I have been craving another Princeton flashback, but I had no idea that it would be this chapter! Hoorah for instinct!

Thank you to everyone that wished for me to get better, I am on the mend and getting out of the house finally! Yay!

Your reviews have been flooring me and making me feel like this is worth writing, and for that I can't thank you enough!

So most of you called my bluff….of course I wouldn't kill Julia! ;) I will however hold the long awaited smut scene for ransom if you all don't review! (Ducks quickly from flying tomatoes!) It's not me I would fear but remuslives23. I think she may go mad if I withhold this treasured scene too much longer! You know you love me Julie! (You have one coming soon that involves our favorite werewolf wink! wink!)

Love ya!

Trisky


	15. Quick Honesty

Language Warning: its nothing too crazy but Julia shares some rather colorful words in this one!

* * *

Chapter Fourteen: Quick Honesty

Before the still irate Julia could protest, Bruce grabbed her roughly again and started walking down to his ostentatious car. To his surprise, she didn't fight or object with his manhandling – a sure sign that she was livid and ready to kill if he provoked her. If he had needed any other indication of her volatile attitude, one look would have been evidence enough.

Deep within his own thoughts, Bruce moved mechanically. He opened the door and all but pushed her in the leather seat – a tell all sign that he too was angry. In the blur of movements that had taken them over, Bruce was still conscious of how Julia took his grabbing and pushing without argument and didn't flinch away. She took everything he dished out, and always rose to the occasion when she expressed her overwhelming emotions.

He walked around the car to the driver's side with rigid posture, his physical appearance being one of anger. Little did Julia know that he wasn't as angry as he was acting, instead, the man behind the mask was more relieved for more reasons than he could say. He was angry; angry at her for her lack of self regard, furious at Harvey Dents lie, and outraged at himself for doing exactly what he had set out not to do last night – give in to Julia.

Bruce slammed his door with intent, using the medal entrance to execute aggression that seemed to override his relief. He was still consumed with sorting out the events of the last day, Julia almost becoming a blur to him as his mind set out to calm his pulsing emotions and thoughts.

Julia on the other hand was confused and sad, emotions that prevented her from accessing her more passionate, hostile self. Moments before she had been fuming with aggression at the prospect that Bruce had yet again taken her for a fool, but now, now her will to fight and lash out was muted by the desire to give up.

It was more than a scary idea for Julia LaPointe that her one unwavering characteristic of aggression was faltering and falling to melancholy. For the young journalist, losing that which carried her through more situations than she could count was dire.

She sat there as Bruce jerked the car into traffic, now letting his seeming hostility out on the clutch of his Lotus, but Julia didn't seem to care. Her despondency was almost a decades worth of emotion and resentment that crashed into her skull, and for the first time she couldn't seem to bury it or run.

The silence that surrounded was thick, thick with the hurt and ache of years of regret and self blame.

This talk was going to change things……forever.

x.x.X.x.x

So lost in her thoughts, Julia hadn't thought to look and pay attention to her surroundings. She had assumed that her 'savior' as she now thought of him resentfully, would take and lock her up in his fortress…also known as his Penthouse, where he would interrogate and pester her till her wits end.

When she did lift her head to enrich her knowledge of her environment, she was taken aback when she saw a chain link fence that opened to a desolate area of the docks of Gotham's south side.

"_Great_," she thought morosely. "_Death by drowning."_ She knew she was being dramatic and was aware that Bruce wouldn't actually attempt taking her life, but she had never seen him in such a mood. For all she knew, uncovering the identity of Batman was a 'if I tell you I will have to kill you' type of scenario.

Not likely.

Bruce opened her door, and helped her out of the low sitting car and intertwined his fingers through her own. If Julia had been confused and overwhelmed before, now she could multiply it by about twenty and still not feel as though it was enough.

'Damn him." Was all she could think of as his calloused hand shot quivering sensations all up her arm. He pulled her behind him as they approached a door that he swiftly unlocked, leading them into a dark encasing. Inclined to trust a man who had saved her life, Julia wasn't in a position to really ask where they were going but was fearful none the less.

"I'm not going to hurt you Julia." Bruce practically spat with derision.

At his remark Julia pulled her hand from his. "You already have." She said with more conviction than she thought she had.

Bruce visibly flinched at her cutting remark but moved them into the small room as though he was unaffected; he was going to keep his explanations and choice words under tight reign until he got Julia somewhere that he could keep her stationary.

He led her into what seemed to be a room within a room and closed a door behind them that Julia hadn't noticed. She wrapped her arms around her body against the chill and as a subconscious protector of her body when an abrupt jolt under her feet made her tumble forward and lose her balance completely.

Fate was a cruel, pitiless force of nature.

Julia pushed her self harshly out of Bruce's arms and held her hands out in front of her body as if to say 'get any closer and I may kill you.' Without a word she threw her arms back down with a violence that Bruce recognized and in any other circumstance would have laughed or smirked at. Even now, he couldn't help but think that she was adorable when she was fed up.

The decline to their destination was slow, but it was only about a minute before Julia noticed the room they were being lowered into.

That's when it hit her. "Oh my god." She whispered.

Her hands went instinctively to her mouth, as if she were trying to contain her mind from falling out of her mouth.

As soon as they were on solid ground Bruce walked and left her there staring in shock, busying himself with unlocking a side door.

It was bare, more minimal than she would have expected but Bruce had always been a minimalist.

As if reading her thoughts Bruce offered in explanation. "We had started cleaning it out for the aftermath of today, but it seems that it was lucky that we didn't finish." He turned to face her now, his mask of anger and indifference shattered.

The ball was in her court.

"How long?" she said softly unable to look into his eyes.

"The moment I returned to Gotham." He offered with that simplicity that drove Julia insane.

She stood there speechless. The millions of questions she had saved for this moment escaped her making her feel lost and blank.

"You knew this morning that you were going to turn yourself in." Julia stated coldly, finally finding a coherent thought.

"I told Harvey to hold the press conference." Bruce presented apathetically.

Julia almost launched herself at him for his simple and infuriating answers. Instead she was eerily silent, an action that made the normally prepared Bruce apprehensive.

"So," she started. "let me get this straight." Her eyes closed as she thought about her next words. "You decided to give yourself up for the sake of Gotham, a circumstance that would most likely leave you imprisoned indefinitely, and you weren't going to tell me? Let me ask you Bruce, does that sound familiar to you at all?"

Bruce felt his stomach drop at her very clear summary. "Julie I…" It seemed that she wasn't finished as she interrupted him.

"Do you care for me at all?" Her voice was small and meek as she asked, and Bruce felt his heart drop at the sound.

She had never sounded so broken and he was rendered speechless by it.

"Yes, I do." Bruce managed.

"I've said it before and I will say it again….you have a really fucked up way of SHOWING IT!" Julia finally lost her calm reasoning and exploded with a scream that made the crime fighter wince.

She felt free for the first time since she had encountered Bruce months ago.

"Do you take pleasure in reducing me to a whore?" she said full of hate. Her glare was as cold as ice.

"You have never been a whore to me."

"What have I been? Honestly Bruce," Julia violently ran her hand through her hand in frustration. "do you just think you can treat me according to your martyrdom complex?"

"Excuse me?" Clearly taken aback, Bruce placed a hand in the pocket of his slacks and took a step forward in warning of his own outburst.

"You heard me you prick." Julia seethed.

"I have not acted like a martyr." Bruce ground out as he took another step in her direction.

"That's beside the point, you led me on AGAIN!" Julia was not going to let him derail her.

"Do you think you're the only one who suffers Julia, because if that's the case you are entirely too self involved."

Bruce was almost certain he heard her head explode.

"Oh I'm self involved? Who's dressing as a bat to frighten the mob and getting innocent people killed because he couldn't deal with his parent's death huh?! Stop acting as though you were the only child to lose his parents – it's really rather pathetic!" Her chest was heaving with anger.

"What would you know about loss?" Bruce bellowed.

"What would you know about it? You have no idea what's happened to me in the last eight years! " Julia countered.

Both were edging nearer to each other without consent.

"What do you want from me?!" Julia flinched at his tone.

"I want you to be honest with me damn it!"

"What do you think I'm doing now?"

"_You_ didn't tell me about this Bruce!" Julia gestured around her environment like a wild woman. "_I_ figured it out!"

Bruce didn't respond so she continued. "I want you to stop treating me like a prize you can't have and start acting as though I matter!"

"I can't give you what you want." His jaw was set firmly as if he had just solved their problem.

They were close enough for Julia to shove him with everything she had taking him off guard.

"You have no idea what I want….and yet again your arrogance astounds me." Julia returned coldly.

Julia thought he might pull his hair in aggravation.

"Why can't you just admit you made a mistake?" Julia voice softened but it still held a hint of menace.

Bruce did the only think he could think of – he moved to her and kissed her, hard.

Julia tried to pull back but his grip on her was palpable. His mouth moved over hers with a tense delicacy that almost brought her to tears, but instead of softening her it angered her further.

As soon as it started it was over, both parties panting from the exertion arguing inevitably brought.

"You have never been a mistake." Bruce said as he held her away from him.

Without her permission tears started to cascade down her reddened cheeks from the admission. "Was this morning just for kicks then? How could you have done the same thing to me twice Bruce? It's not a situation that I ever thought I would go through multiple times."

"For someone whose job is to observe, it's hard to believe you haven't caught on yet." Bruce offered gently.

"Then please, oh mighty one - help me." The redhead said with dry sarcasm.

"I can't stay in control when you're around me; I want to give into you even when I shouldn't."

Julia almost laughed from disbelief; so she reacted the only way she knew how. "Never took you for a romantic Wayne."

Bruce let her go like she was burning him. "Don't do that. Don't get defensive and push me away because you're scared."

"Speak for yourself for a change Bruce; every time we have been put in this damn situation it's because you're scared and acting like a stupid foolish little boy. I have never asked you for anything!"

As if on cue, Bruce's cell phone rang reminding Julia of a break during a boxing match. He took out and held it up as if asking permission.

"By all means." Julia said with a flip of hand then turned away needing to try to rest her rattled nerves. Her hands were shaking from emotion almost itching to cause damage.

The conversation was a brief one, Alfred no doubt was trying to stay caught up in Bruce's web of a life after that disaster of a press conference.

"Julie I need you to understand something," Bruce started as he put his cell phone back in his pocket. "you are the only person that has made me feel complete as a man. Our circumstances haven't been ideal and I have made more mistakes when it comes to you than any other area of my life, but please know that I have never wanted to hurt you." Again, he made her heart almost stop from the quiet sincerity of his words.

"Bruce I can't forg…"

"I'm not asking for your forgiveness, I am just asking for you to remember what I'm saying." Bruce cut in.

Julia turned around to face him then, her arms crossed defiantly in front of her chest. "What are you going to do?" she asked accusingly.

"What do you mean?"

"Your making it sound as though this is the last time we'll speak to each other." Her brow rose questioningly.

"The less you know the better." Bruce said instantly alerting Julia to his change in attitude. Bruce Wayne wasn't refusing to answer her, Batman was.

"You know I have enough questions to keep you occupied for about a week right?" Julia asked with all seriousness.

"Now isn't the time."

"When will it be a good time?"

"I would ask the Joker that."

Julia stood still, mulling over current events. In reaction to coming to an unknown decision, she nodded her head to herself as if accepting the result.

"So are we calling a temporary truce?" Julia's lips curled unexpectedly into a small smile.

"I think we may have to."

"I want you to make me a promise though, a promise I should have tried last night."

"I'm listening."

"The next time you kiss me, it won't be because you plan on leaving me." Julia said with tears in her eyes yet again.

Bruce walked up to her and cupped her face as gently as he could, the tenderness of the gesture not lost on Julia.

"I don't know what this is or what will happen, but I_ can_ make _that_ promise."

Julia sighed in relief. She still trusted him and his word, even though she most likely shouldn't.

"You should go." Julia heard the regret in his voice for having to say what she already knew was coming.

"Don't die." Julia whispered. "That would just piss me off more." Bruce smiled.

"We can't have that can we?" Julia laughed as he raised an eyebrow with that flair of arrogance he had had since childhood.

"How do I get out of here?"

"I'm not a complete asshole Julie, I'll take you out." He took her hand again and with a more kind temperament from both of them they made their way back to the world above them.

Bruce let go of her hand once they had reached the sparse and quite dock drive, making her look at him strangely.

He pulled out the keys from his pants pocket to the gorgeous Lotus that any other time Julia would have drooled over. He threw them up in the air and Julia caught them a little awestruck.

"What about you, how do you plan on getting out of here?" she said, understanding the gesture.

"I have other modes of transportation, trust me."

"That's a tall order." Julia pushed playfully.

Bruce laughed. "You always rise to the occasion."

Julia looked behind her at the dark blue sports car and grinned despite herself.

"You're not going to try and tell me where to go?" Julia turned back and twitched her eye in challenge.

Bruce moved into her and watched as Julia closed her eyes blissfully. "Don't die; it'll just piss me off more." She laughed at hearing her words being used against her, and he was just as serious as she had been.

"Julie, in all honesty – stay low. Don't draw attention to yourself."

Her eyes snapped open and sent a full force glare. "I do not draw attention to myself."

Bruce rolled his eyes.

"Fine!" Julia waved her hands about in exasperation. "I'll try." She said grudgingly, taking her hands and resting them on his chest.

They stayed there like that for a moment, both just taking comforts from the other. Julia was the first to pull away, feeling that she needed to leave and get some distance before she did something regrettably stupid.

Then Bruce did something she didn't expect.

He kissed her.

"So you know I'll come back." He pulled away from her with a rare genuine smile that flittered with amusement.

Without another word Bruce turned and went back inside, leaving Julia dumbstruck and no doubt looking foolish with her jaw hanging wide open.

The bastard had got the last word.

x.x.X.x.x

Roger knelt behind the dumpster as he looked on and watched as Bruce Wayne kissed the girl that had unexpectedly broken his heart only a week before.

He had followed them after watching Julia be all but dragged to his car. She wasn't his soul purpose for the investigation. He had a rather credible source that had put him on the trail of Wayne in his search for Batman.

Coleman Reese was turning out to be the best source he could ask for. From the looks of it, Roger was on to something bigger than he thought possible – better yet, this could be his chance for payback for losing the girl he thought was the one for him to a billionaire playboy.

'Fair is fair.' He thought bitterly as he watched Julia get into Wayne's car and speed off.

'Fair is fair.'

* * *

Authors Note: Fist off I want to apologize for not sending review replies to everyone who reviewed the last chapter...the last few days have been crazy busy buit please don't think that I don't appreciate the love and support you guys give me!

I also want to put out now that as of September 3rd I will be in the UK and France for 2 weeks, effectively keeping me away from updating. I will try to post as much as I can until then, but I cant make that a promise. These next few weeks are going to be hectic.

As for this chapter...woah. It was one of my favorites to write! I couldnt seem to stop, I was possessed i tell you! (Julia does that to me...)

So tell me what you think, I am very very very curious about your response to this confrontation!;) Cyber cookies anyone?

Cheers!

Trisky

PS: Does anyone else cry when they watch the Olympics? I watched the womens gymnastic finals while I wrote this and cried when the girl got the gold. (It has to be hormones...)


	16. Note from the Triskinator

AUTHOR'S NOTE!

Hey folks! I am so, so, so, sorry for not having come out with another update before going abroad, to be honest I really don't have a good excuse. I will say though that I have been writing (As I have said on many occasions Julia's voice tends to follow me wherever I go!) but I have been writing chapters out of order. I tend to do that when writing but for this story I made it a point to not do that, as it would seem though – I failed! ;)

On a very good note, I have the ending started and finalized (thank god!) and I am hoping that my travels will inspire me on new levels in terms of description and characterizations! You meet some rad people when you stay in hostels……

Again, thank you to everyone that's been reviewing and leaving me with food for thought. If you have any suggestions, comments or even new story prompts please let me know. I am eager (already) to come up with new ideas for the sequel that I hope will happen as well as some new Batman/Bruce adventures.

You have all been incredible, supportive, and patient and I would grant you all one wish if I could. Thank you and I hope you all enjoy the rest of the summer holiday's, I know I will!

Cheers, Trisky

Julie- I am going to get back and review what you've done! I miss your stories terribly and I cant wait to see what I have waiting for me in my inbox when I get back! (Down with the Tonks!) Haven't had any real time to read what you've recently posted (alas) I also will try my best to throw a rock at JK's window and not get caught…..may be tough but I will do whatever I can for Remus!


	17. Formidable Tragedy

A special thanks to **remuslives23** for her nagging, it is because of her that I finished this sooner rather than later. You're a gem Julie, thanks for keeping my confidence up!

Also, there are a few little shout outs in this chapter, some of which I don't expect anyone to get…ohiojones – there is an Office tribute in there as well as an endearment frequently used by you Julie.

There is a new poll on my profile...give it a peak.

Posted a prologue for a new HP story as well. I will finish that one as I already have an outline for it. Read it! (Echo of the Soul its called.)

That's it for now...well except for...

**It's prudent in this chapter to remind you I own nothing in this crazy universe except Julia. **

**Give it up for Nolan and DC, not me. **

* * *

Chapter Fifteen: Formidable Tragedy

Through out Julia's life, there was never any indication that she was to be involved in the center of life changing events. Being a woman from a fairly typical background and also being a career minded contributor to society, she never thought in her right or lunatic mind that she would live to see, or live through the current mayhem that surrounded her. Her mental state was becoming weak – weaker than she ever thought it would be. The darkness that had been blanketing Gotham had finally touched her – enveloping her, threatening to break the young woman down.

To put it mildly, Julia LaPointe was on the verge of a well earned mental breakdown.

It's hard to pinpoint any particular happening that occurred in her hazy day of overwhelming emotion, but Julia knew without a doubt that she never wanted to experience such a broad range of heart wrenching emotions ever again in her life.

Julia was beginning to understand just how little control the universe granted you in your own existence…….

x.x.X.x.x

"Commissioner Gordon? Back already?" A young detective asked, surprised as Gordon appeared in the holding area of the MCU.

"Julia LaPointe." Was all the newly appointed Commissioner found himself capable of grounding out. Without stopping, Gordon looked to the pointing - and visibly worried detective - and made his way to the area the pointed digit highlighted. The back of his mind only just slightly registering the new title that came along with his name.

Gordon stomped loudly on the smooth cement surface, uncertainty clouding his emotions. He was very tempted to be angry but he was also extremely worried. Dobbs wasn't able to tell him anything that indicated why Julia was in the MCU; all he could convey was that the young journalist was badly battered and unable to talk.

As soon as Jim had heard that, he knew something was terribly wrong.

Julia, unable to speak? She was her mother's daughter in every way, and there was never a moment that Annette or Julia LaPointe ceased to speak. They always fought with words and cunning wit, a good thing for the men associated with them – a violent LaPointe was a fear inducing sight for all.

His thoughts were racing as he leaned in and grasped the metal knob and pulled. Pulling the door toward him his thoughts strayed to just how many times Annette LaPointe had ignored his commands and went her own way. He had a mental laugh at the memories, wondering if he would ever have women in his life that listened to reason. With his wife and his ex-partners daughter being the key women in his life, it seemed that a peaceful existence would be unlikely. It was likely though that his small daughter would follow suit, shattering his hope for reasonable women.

His thoughts were quieted immediately as his eyes fell upon Julia – his eyes settling on a picture that would inevitably be burned in his mind for the rest of his life. On the floor, huddled in a corner was his goddaughter – bruised, bloody and shaking in shock. Without a moment's hesitation, Jim threw himself on the floor in front of her, taking her face in his palms and trying to survey the damage. She was wide eyed at the site of him kneeling in front of her, but her will to speak seemed to be missing. He pulled her to him and was thankful to find that her body was warm despite her cold environment. One symptom down, he thought, twelve more to go.

He pulled back from the one sided embrace and looked into the face of a broken Julia. "Julia? Julia can you hear me?" He was beginning to worry at her unresponsiveness.

Her bleary eyes stayed unfocused and stormy, garnering the Commissioner no response.

Julia was trying. She was fighting her mind, trying to from the words that she so desperately wanted to say, but the necessary connection between brain and mouth seemed to be severed despite her best efforts.

"Julia?" Jim continued, his expression becoming grimmer by the second. "I need you to tell me what happened."

Her reaction was shocking, even to the man who had known her since she had been a baby. He looked at the bundle he now had across his bent legs and arms and felt scared for the young woman. She was shaking in his arms, tears steaming down the strong features of her face.

She was painfully aware that time was short and she couldn't seem to get out of her hell long enough to speak – she was crying in reaction to recent events as much as she was crying in frustration for being so weak of mind.

Jim sat upon the cold cement floor of the MCU, his eyes misting over with emotion as he watched and felt the girl in his arms shake in grief or fear; watching as one of his worst fears came to life.

"_I let her down"_

The thought made the misty tears spill over and fall onto his cheeks. He began to rock Julia as he would his own child, trying with everything he had to make her feel safe. Something he had promised years ago that he would do for the rest of his life.

After a few moments of this action, Julia tensed and stiffened in his arms. Jim didn't make a move, worried that he would scare her if she were coming out of her clouded mind of shock. However, he was not prepared for what actually happened.

"Dent." Julia whimpered her voice hoarse and barely discernable.

Gordon froze in the same manner as she.

"They took Harvey." She pushed out before her mind went as blank as paper, and collapsed unconscious in her godfather's arms.

x.x.X.x.x

Screaming.

"_Why the hell is there so much screaming?"_ Julia thought wearily.

The manic screams were coming closer, a gradual volume that seemed to be moving in her direction.

Frantic, Julia tried to follow the noise but her body was rooted to the spot. Trying to look around at her surroundings proved to be no good, as she was enveloped by darkness that she had only just become aware of.

"Hello?" she tried, but she felt that somehow her words were trapped within her own mind.

The screams became louder and shriller still, causing a frightened and unsure Julia to cover her ears in reaction. The heart aching screams were chilling her to the bone as they came closer and closer to her. The noise was shrinking in on her senses as it came nearer, almost as if the person was right on top of her. Julia just kept her hands over her ears as tears escaped her eyes wondering when it was going to be over.

She looked from side to side trying desperately to escape the screaming banshee that was seemingly invisible to her, but again all she could see was complete and total darkness.

The realization of what was happening was enough to almost cause Julia to become completely undone.

It was her. She was screaming.

x.x.X.x.x

Julia snapped awake to the sound of her shrill and violent screaming, a wake up call that for many is all but comforting. Owl eyed and confused as to where she was or what was happening, she pushed herself back at a scramble until she felt the cold, solid hardness of a wall.

The room was dark and shrouded in shadow, silent enough to hear a feather fall to the ground…but Julia could feel that she wasn't alone.

Deciding that the only way to get answers was to ask questions, Julia steeled herself for either getting hurt or feeling ridiculous for talking to thin air.

"Where am I?" Julia asked aloud to the presence she was almost sure was hidden in the darkness.

"I told you to stay low." Came a recognizable voice from the front corner of the room.

Relief over-whelmed the crest fallen journalist as she heard the all too familiar voice of her complicated childhood friend. His tone wasn't unpleasant but rather remorseful but Julia knew that he was holding back his anger at her for apparently not listening to his advice.

She had hoped that by now he would have realized, as she had, that sometimes trouble followed you regardless.

"Please don't try to reprimand me right now Bru…" The masked knight cut her off before she could finish her potentially damaging response.

"What happened?" Batman asked her as he drew himself out of the shadows.

Julia started laughing uncontrollably, scaring the caped defender more than she could have ever known. Bruce had seen this type of reaction to violence before.

He knew from her appearance that she had been hurt and abused - but the extent of the damage done to her had yet to be established. For Batman and his own clarity of mind, he needed to find out and fast. It wouldn't be long until he lost the tight reign he had on his anger at seeing his dearest friend and the woman he cared so deeply for lying on the ground, screaming in pain that had yet to be explained.

Batman wanted to punch anything or anyone just to share the agony that he was in right now. He was supposed to prevent this from happening, that was the purpose of his menacing creation – and he couldn't even protect those closest to him.

He moved gracefully to her but was stalled as he saw her shrink away from him. "What happened?" she started. "What HAPPENED?" Julia screamed through her heckling. "What does it look like to you oh mighty protector! I was kidnapped, punched, kicked, stabbed, cut, sexually abused and mentally assaulted because I wouldn't answer any of their damn questions." Julia's temper dwindled as she inventoried the damage done to her aloud - the recognition of which gave her the awareness she had previously lacked, helping her to realize she was in fact in pain all over.

"What were they asking you?" his low timbered voice echoed through out the small interrogation room.

Julia didn't respond.

"What were they asking you?" The Batman repeated, his patience and control slipping by the second.

"They were asking me to tell them your identity." Julia whispered. She knew without a doubt that Bruce would blame himself and hated having to tell him the truth. To her it was that, the longer effect, which let those bastards win.

Batman stood taller than before as he gripped his fists at his sides. Julia looked up at him from the floor and was struck with the terrifying image of a human time bomb.

"Why do they think that you know who I am?" Batman said sounding betrayed, making Julia wince despite the fact that she hadn't done what he was very subtly insinuating.

As she winced, the door to the darkened room opened - light starting to slowly pour itself into the room. Julia covered her eyes from the rays, trying to give her eyes time to adjust.

"Most likely because of this evening's cover story." Gordon answered, clearly having heard the dark knight's last inquiry as he tossed the paper he had been carrying on the small table in the center of the now bright room.

He tossed the paper as he walked toward a dirty and quiet Julia, wanting to see if she was alright after her time with his associate.

As he squatted down in front of her slouched form, she simultaneously uncovered her eyes to actually look at the man who she had thought to be dead.

She looked up into a pair of familiar brown eyes and gasped. Before she even had time to register being happy at the sight of a very alive Jim Gordon, Julia launched her body at the man – knocking him down – hard.

"You stupid, evil man! What the hell is wrong with you?" Julia yelled as she began slapping and punching every part of flesh she could find.

Batman sat back for about a minute before deciding to intervene. It was a selfish motivation really, he was saving Bruce Wayne a beating that he knew would come his way the next time he encountered Julia. He picked up the hysterical woman (a gesture he was becoming accustomed to) off the Commissioner and held her to him, her back held tightly against his chest. Julia was smart enough to not fight against him, instead opting to let him hold her upright as she struggled to find her breath.

The former Lieutenant pulled himself up, wobbling only slightly, before he turned and looked at Julia.

"Let her go." Gordon said with a lazy wave of his hand. "She has every right."

Batman complied, reluctantly letting go of a ragged Julia. She adjusted her twisted clothes as gracefully as she could before looking into the eyes of the formally deceased cop. "I understand it Jim but you know damn well why I don't like it." Gordon nodded in understanding, flashing a small smile as he lifted his head up to meet her stare straight on.

"It worked though." He said with some pride.

"Yeah, well, I'm sure mom would be proud and jumping for joy if she were here right now." Julia said sarcastically, folding her arms in front of her chest.

Jim walked up to her then, feeling as though the mood had shifted and hugged her tightly.

"Are you alright duckie?" Gordon said softly into her hair.

"Never better." She lied.

"It'll get better, I promise." Gordon reassured her.

She held on to him with a vice like grip, hoping to hell that he was right.

They pulled apart, Gordon still holding on to Julia's arms when they heard the shuffling of the paper he had brought in.

Julia walked up to the armored protector of Gotham and looked at the headline of the paper she formally worked for. The action shocked Gordon – the two seemed more familiar than he expected.

**Journalist Julia LaPointe Stumbles onto **

**Identity of Batman**

**Article by: Roger Radcliff**

All three occupants of the room stood still and resolute, Julia having no clue what to say.

"I don't know what to say." Julia admitted with a frantic look at both men beside her. "This is a complete fabrication. I have no idea who you are." She lied with a pointed look at the man in question.

"Why would he write this, surely he knew that this would endanger you given your present circumstances?" Jim started.

"I don't know. I was doing research on him…I mean…you." Julia finished lamely, red creeping up her neck and cheeks as she looked up at Batman embarrassed. "I was researching his behaviors and locations but I never came across anything that led me to his identity." She was still staring at Bruce, forgetting Gordon entirely.

That didn't get over looked by the astute Commissioner.

Julia found herself drowning in her own thoughts as the other two men started talking about what to do about her safety. Last she had seen Roger it was business as usual. Nothing out of the ordinary happened when she had met him early in the morning before the infamous Harvey Dent press conference - nothing that she knew of that is. How the hell did he get the idea that she knew the identity of Batman? Another one of her thoughts made her blood boil more than any of the others though. Her editor wouldn't have run that story had she still been working there – but she had only quit that morning, not more than 10 hours ago.

The timing was all a bit to perfect for her liking.

"Julie?" Gordon said grabbing her arm, effectively pulling her out of her revelry. "We need to get you out of here."

"Why?" Julia pressed knowingly.

"Julia, I don't think that you need to be here for this." He countered, all too familiar with her tactics.

"It's the Joker." Batman ground out in frustration. He had learned tonight that if anything, telling Julia the truth may very well keep her out of more trouble than if they were evasive.

"What? Here?" Julia looked astonished. "You caught him?" she asked looking at Jim.

Still staring hatefully at his associate, Gordon replied. "Yes we did."

Julia felt as though someone had just hit her over the head with a bag of happiness.

"Are you going to ask him about Dent?" Julia pressed, wincing in pain as she twisted her torso. Her skin seared in pain as she fought back tears.

"That's the idea. Before that though, I need to ask you about the DA." Gordon said, his tone changing from fatherly to business without apparent effort.

"All I know is that they had him in the same van with me. The last time I saw Harvey he was still in the van, being driven I think north from Vector Street and Fifty-Second Avenue. When I was in there with him though," Julia said thoughtfully. "they kept muttering things about time, but that's about all I heard. I wasn't lucid for most of the time I was with Harvey."

"Is that all?" Batman asked from the other end of the room.

"That's all I remember collectively. It's literally _all_ I know." Julia said despairingly.

"Alright, then lets get you to someone who can look you over." Gordon started but was cut off.

"I want to watch." Julia blurted out.

Both Batman and Gordon looked to her in shock, mouths agape.

"What?" Julia asked innocently.

"Absolutely not." Both men said briskly as Gordon began herding Julia out the door.

"Your staying, I'm staying." Julia said firmly, planting her feet in the doorway. "I wont be escorted anywhere by anyone unless its one of you two. So, I suggest you let me watch this or you never know what I might get into next." Julia smiled sweetly. Her demeanor was innocent to any other bystander, but both men knew better. There seemed to be no limit to the dangerous situations she found herself in.

"Fine." Jim's voice echoed through the hall, although he didn't sound happy in the slightest.

Julia just stared at the man in the cowl, both of them trying to convey their sentiments through their eyes.

Jim rolled his eyes. "Do you two need a minute?" His pointed look was not lost to Batman, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Get her out of here, we don't have much time." He barked out, startling both Julia and Gordon.

"Why you little…" Julia's angry response was lost to him as Gordon used the distraction to pull the livid red head out closing the door behind him.

Bruce pulled himself back into the shadows that the darkness created, waiting.

x.x.X.x.x

Julia was solemn as Gordon guided her to the observation room, neither exchanging words. Gordon's second in command was the only one to have arrived which relieved the antsy cop. He wanted to talk with Julia before he left and started what he knew was going to be one of the hardest working nights of his life.

"Have you been looked at Julia?" He asked. He had observed her growing limp as she walked and that her legs were wobbling with effort.

"Before they put me in the room they staunched the bleeding in my leg and abdomen. I have some temporary bandages around my stomach." She said levelly.

"Did they do anything else to you?" he whispered as he cupped her elbows in his hands.

Her physical response was all he needed in answer. At the question, Julia looked down as if she were guilty of something.

Anger rushed through him at the idea that she was touched or violated in such a way.

"Jim, your hurting my arms." Julia squeaked out as Jims grip tightened in his rage. He immediately let go as if she were fire, looking down at his hands in shame.

He stayed like that for a moment before pulling her into a hug and whispering into her ear. Even the Lieutenant in the corner was curious as to what would make his boss act in such a brash and emotional way.

He pulled away, looking into Julia's face. He knew then, at that moment, she would be alright. She pulled herself up to her full height and smiled weekly at the man who reminded her of something, something she promised she would never forget.

"Thank you."

"Thank her." Gordon smiled pointing his index finger up towards the heavens.

They sat there in silence for a few minutes waiting for the star of the impending show to turn up. Julia saw as the door opened, revealing very little light as the Joker was escorted into the room that she had only occupied moments before. It was eerie to Julia that only a thin layer of glass was the only thing between her and Gotham's most wanted killer. So eerie in fact, that she couldn't seem to get herself close to the glass at all. She stood by the middle aged Lieutenant that had been there when she had shown up with Jim, hoping he didn't mind her close proximity.

"Keep an eye on her Greg." Jim called as he exited the room and made his way to talk with the paint covered man.

Greg nodded his head at the closing door and then turned and winked at Julia. "Don't worry, he's not going to hurt anyone anymore." He tilted his head at the man behind the glass.

"That's what you think." Julia muttered - clearly not feeling optimistic.

Julia watched from behind the mans back as Gordon opened the door and entered the rectangular room. He had a new air about him – there was a calm and authority that Julia had never seen from him in all her years of knowing him. The joker on the other hand looked the same as always, indifferent and amused.

"Evening Commissioner." The Joker drew out proving Julia right – he was very amused.

"Harvey Dent never made it home." Gordon stated in a tone made of steel.

"Of course not."

"What have you done with him?"

"Me?" The Joker said, sounding like an innocent child getting a scolding. "I was right here." He held up his hand cuffed hands in mocking illustration.

Julia looked away feeling sick to her stomach. He was going to play games until the right moment, of that she was sure. She looked back up to see Gordon take off the hand cuffs that had bound the sadistic bastard together.

"What is he doing?" She asked the man named Greg. Her instincts screaming to her that this was a very bad idea.

"Don't worry; he knows what he's doing." Greg said without even at glance in her direction. All eyes were glued to the scene before them knowing exactly what was coming next.

Gordon left the interrogation room to join Julia and the others behind the glass observation room. He entered looking apprehensive but hopeful as he stood behind Julia and rested his hands on her shoulders for comfort.

The lights to the room burst to life revealing the Joker and unbeknownst to him, an angry and vengeful Batman.

Without pretense, Batman slammed the Jokers head into the table he was sitting in front of, earning a wince from all who were invisible but watching from a distance.

The conversation that was happening before her was all but lost to her ears as she watched Batman at work. He slammed his fist down on the menaces hand but was greeted with nothing more than what Julia saw as a sarcastic comment. They sat across from one another, face to face – challenging each other in a way Julia didn't quite understand.

It was one of the most frightening images that Julia would ever witness when she looked back on her life.

The Joker - seeming to like the sound of his own voice – was rambling (in Julia's opinion) about how dejected Batman was going to be.

"….then they'll cast you out – like a leper." She heard the deformed bastard say smoothly. Bits and pieces of the talk came through to her but she was for the most part, completely glued to watching for Bruce's reactions.

She was legitimately worried that he was going to kill the psychopath.

"See I'm not a monster……I'm just ahead of the curve." Julia heard vaguely as she gasped in shock.

Batman grabbed the mouthy freak by the collar, pulling him across the small metal table that had previously divided them. Throwing the convict against the wall closest to the glass, Batman had clearly lost his patience. Everyone behind the glass partition jumped back at the action, all eyes looking at the calm Commissioner.

"He's in control." He said a bit weakly.

Julia watched in horror as Batman held the menacing man against the white tiled wall, listening to him talk about rules.

"I have one rule." Batman stated evenly.

"Then that's the one rule you're going to have to break." The joker gasped out.

"I'm considering it." The dark knight growled out, tightening his vice like grip In the Jokers custom green vest.

"Well there's only a few minutes left so you had better start playing my little game if you want to save one of them." The joker spat matching his captor's low tone.

"Them?"

"It wouldn't have been fair to make only one go through our little game tonight, I felt it was better as a couple's game." The Joker tried to laugh but instead ended up gasping for air.

Julia eyes could hardly keep up with the action that occurred. Purple, green, and black were swirling about in front of her but her senses were only focused on one specific thing.

_Them. _

Images of Rachel started flying through her head like a slide show, pulling even more tears from Julia's swollen and puffy eyes.

She was coherent enough to see Gordon fly out the side door in a panic, pulling Julia's attention to the events in the room. She looked up in time to see Batman jam a chair underneath the handle of the door, heading back to the Joker who happened to be lying on his back, spread out and laughing like a fiend across the small table.

Suddenly Julia snapped. "No! He'll kill him!" she yelled out as she pounded her fists against the glass mirror. "Jim! You can't let him kill him!"

At her outburst many things happened all at once. Jim, hearing Julia screams, bolted back into the small room to see Julia being held back by Greg Dobbs as she fought hysterically to get away.

"Let me go you idiot he's going to kill him!" Gordon wasn't sure she was wrong, but it was painfully obvious that she was breaking down a little earlier than he had anticipated.

"Put her in my office and lock her in." he barked to Dobbs as he took action and ticked things off his mental check list. Julia being in a safe spot was one down, now he needed to get the interrogation room under control. Then there was Harvey Dent…

Julia was thrown over the shoulder of the burly man ungracefully as he strode out of the room and down the hall. Her shouts were morphing into body wrenching sobs as she lost the will to fight back, giving in to the undeniable truth. The Joker had Rachel and Bruce was about to kill a man.

Julia LaPointe felt as though her entire world was falling apart.

x.x.X.x.x

The room was just as bleak and morose as the interrogation room she had previously occupied, the only improvement being the chair with proper back support that Julia found herself sitting in. The only source of light was the small desk lamps to her right, making the environment of the office seem even spookier as the silence started to set in to her bones. She never did handle silence well.

'_How long have I been here?'_

'_Is Rachel safe?'_

'_Did Bruce get the information they needed?'_

Those thoughts and more were ripping her fragile mind apart as she sat and waited. To afraid to make noise and even breathe the wrong way, Julia kept herself unnaturally still and remote in her seat. There was a vain hope that if she were quiet enough she may actually hear something that may ease her worrisome thinking, so far…the effort was fruitless.

That was until she heard shouts flounder lightly down the hall.

"What the hell…" Julia muttered as she stood and made her way to the door. Maybe they had found Dent and Rachel – _'Maybe there's still hope.'_ Julia thought wearily.

Before she had even made it three steps, an invisible force slammed into her, throwing her several feet back from where she was. She landed hard enough to knock the wind out of her abused body, delaying her scramble for a place to hide. Still unable to breathe properly, Julia made her self move to the best of her abilities. Crawling on her hands and knees, she made her way to Gordon's desk trying her best to keep a level head.

Slowly, she came to her destination and shuffled, squeezing herself into the small cubby hole the center of the surface provided her. She pulled the blanket she had been given off the chair and covered herself, trying to hide. It wasn't a tough thing to do given the darkness she was yet again trapped in but she didn't want to take any chances.

She lay there in silence and fear for what felt like hours. As the time ticked past she gave in to her exhaustion and against her better judgment, closed her eyes and let herself sleep for the first time in days.

Her last fearful thought was _'Was that a fucking bomb?' _before she collapsed into a dreamless state.

* * *

A Note from Triskelesque:

I am thinking that you all have many questions…….

Please ask them and I will respond individually and answer to the best of my abilities. I don't want to spoil anything for anybody if they just want to wait and see if I answer it through the story. I will clarify the timeline a bit…this is still the day of the press conference. Yes, it was a very long and eventful day, and yes there is a huge gap in the day between the last chapter and this.

This chapter was a necessary evil I swear.

I would love, love, love for you to review as this was very hard for me to write this for many reasons and I could use a boost.

My holiday was sweet! Thanks to everyone who wished me safe travels! Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter, and now that I am back to my ordinary schedule, I will be responding to every review like before.

Again thank you for all your support, without it, I would have stopped writing this a long time ago!;)

-Trisky

**PS!! Important question!! Do you want to see Julia and Bruce get physical (in a biblical sense) sooner rather than later? Do you want to see it at all? Should I make the scene a one shot so that you have the option of reading gratuitous mature material? I would really like to know.** **Its almost that time (I think the next chapter actually**.


	18. healing and Filling the Void

A Note from Trisky: Here it is, the chapter you've all been waiting for! Bruce and Julia get rather close (finally!) in this one, something I've been planning for quite some time. Now writing was this was a bit embarrassing (I have a hard time going through and putting into print these dirty scenarios I have in my mind.) but I hope it doesn't disappoint too much.

For those of you who want to skip over the gratuitous encounter look for this:

**CAUTION! - CAUTION! –** **CAUTION!**

Following the end I have put,

**END CAUTION! – END CAUTION!**

So that everyone has a warning and an option in reading it. I hope that you all enjoy this crazy chapter and would grace me with a review. This is by far the most trying thing I have written and really want a bit of feedback for this if nothing else. Thanks for all your suggestions and comments and I hope that this is suitable for everyone!

Cheers and Enjoy!

x.x.X.x.x

Chapter Sixteen: Healing and Filling the Void

"We need to get you out of here"

"Jim, tell me." Julia replied solemnly as she leaned against the desk she had spent the night under.

Ignoring her, Gordon continued as he paced in front of her defenseless form. "Perhaps seeing your father would be good. He's in Europe at the moment isn't he?"

"JIM!" She shrieked with impatience, balling her fists at her side. "Please….I…I want to see her."

The sound of Julia pleading was almost enough to break his steely resolve.

Almost.

"You can't." He said, stopping in front of her.

"She was my family Jim." Julia spoke with meekness unfamiliar to her. "Someone will have to identify her and her mother shouldn't have to go through that. Let me go." She pushed out, ending firmly.

"I can't." Jim said with the same iron clad resolve.

"Damnit, stop trying to protect me!" Julia yelled loudly.

Gordon grabbed her by the shoulders then, bracing her, as well as himself, for what he was about to say. "There was nothing left Julia – there is nothing to identify."

The older man kept a hold on to her shoulders as she slumped against him sobbing. "No. No. No." Julia pled to no one, the reality of the nights events hitting her hard.

She fitfully screamed into the newly appointed Commissioner's shirt, weeping for the loss of her dearest friend.

Gordon clung to her, trying his best to be the pillar of strength she so obviously needed. It was hard but he stayed vigilant, even as the tears of grief and guilt flowed down his own weathered and tired face.

"I don't know what to do." Julia wept as she buried her face even further into his collar, finding comfort in the crevice between neck and shoulder.

"Neither do I sweetheart, neither do I." He said softly as he stroked her hair tenderly.

His admission caused Julia to cry even harder than before.

x.x.X.x.x

They had grieved together for an hour, giving Gordon the time he needed to explain the events leading up to the death, and severe injury, of Rachel Dawes and Harvey Dent. Julia listened intently, determined to keep control of her emotion as her godfather recounted the tragic attempt made by himself, and Batman, to save both civil servants from the Joker's web of riddles and death. The tears ran down her cheeks despite her efforts, but her demeanor was calm as she took in every detail.

After he was finished his recounting, an uncomfortable silence settled over the room. Julia kept her gaze on the linoleum flooring as she thought about what she should do. After an agonizing five or so minutes, she broke the silence.

The quiet was enveloping her, its energy pushing against her. It was better with noise; the pain was easier with distraction.

"Thank you for telling me, I needed to hear it." She managed.

Jim nodded mutely.

"Before you go trying to ship me off though, there are some things that I need to take care of…alone." She added quickly as she kept her eyes focused on the floor. _'I can do this.'_ She chanted in her mind. _'I have to do this'_

"Julia please, for once in your life please listen to reason." Gordon ground out, his temper being fueled by fear for her safety.

"Listen, you can help me by giving me an escort or I can go out to the streets of Gotham alone and unprotected." Julia looked up then, staring right into the Commissioner's eyes.

"Your choice, Commissioner." She added with casual shrug.

Without a word, Gordon closed his eyes and nodded while he turned to leave the ransacked office. His abrupt actions spoke loudly and Julia took his dissatisfaction the best that she could, although she was irritated at his insensitive attempt at comfort.

He paused at the door and looked back, seeing a confused Julia watching him intently.

He gestured with his hand for her to follow; the act of which she could also tell was forced.

She followed her bearer of bad news, knowing that she would be safer then he even knew.

x.x.X.x.x

Julia stood in the familiar elevator, wondering what she was about to walk into. Leaning back against the hard steel wall as she moved upward, Julia crossed her arms as she thought of scenarios and reactions, bracing herself for whatever she was about to see or hear.

She was exhausted, the days events almost lost to her due to her foggy state of mind. Her body felt tense and relaxed all at the same time. Her senses were overloading and dead all at once.

She felt like a breathing contradiction.

Everything about her physical and mental states of being seemed unbalanced with the grief of losing her best friend, making her feel inhuman and numb. Thinking of her numbness, Julia gripped her elbows tightly as if reassuring herself that she was still whole.

After what seemed like an entire lifetime, the ding of her floor sounded. The doors opened, revealing the foyer of Bruce Wayne's penthouse and a very concerned looking Alfred.

Julia stepped through the steel doors all the while keeping her arms crossed protectively over her chest.

"Alfred." Her voice was raw, an indication to the butler that her morning was every bit it as rough as he had expected.

"Miss Julia." He responded with a small nod.

"Where is he?" Alfred wasn't at all surprised with her get down to business tone.

In fact it made him more hopeful than he had dreamed of being on such a day.

"Showering, I believe."

"I'll wait in his bedroom then." Julia said with conviction she didn't feel.

Before Alfred could let the opportunity pass he reached out and gently grabbed Julia's arm, pulling her into a comforting embrace. She hugged him back, trying her best to offer any form of consolation she had left.

The desire to be selfish was so enticing, but she knew that Rachel had meant a lot to many. So she tried her hardest to give, as well as receive, this lovely compassion.

"It gets better." Alfred whispered knowingly.

"When?" Julia muttered emptily.

They left their conversation there. They needn't say more than that and they both recognized it.

Julia moved and began walking to Bruce's spacious master suite, stopping once to look back and check to see if Alfred was still there. She stepped lightly through the uncharacteristically dark hallways, straight to the large bed that was staged to the left hand side of the window strewn room. She sat rigidly on the corner of the bed, her hands resting themselves awkwardly in her lap. Closing her eyes, Julia listened to the sounds of water, feeling the dampness that came from the nearby bathroom. The sound was calming, the hypnotic combination almost succeeding in calming her racing thoughts.

Almost.

Julia sat there until the silence and remoteness became deafening. She didn't move from her perch but opened her eyes to prove to her mind that she was in fact still alive.

Looking around the expansive room, Julia spotted her reflection in a mirror to her right, shocked at what she saw.

She had changed in the last two weeks more so than she anticipated. Her face was gaunt and haggard; her hair now resting just above her collar bone and dyed a dark red. Julia paused and looked at her reflection, wondering when she had last had the time to look at herself in the mirror. She had forgotten that her hair had changed, forgotten that she hadn't hardly eaten in her rush to stay safe and keep others protected. She looked like a shell of a woman who was alive only in body, but not in spirit.

Her priorities were so different than before. Only weeks ago her only worries were making a deadline and attempting to avoid Bruce. Now, the universe seemed tilted and warped creating a feeling within Julia that she knew to be permanent. Gone were her days of mindless frivolity and excess, gone was the comforting saying 'Ignorance is bliss'. Julia LaPointe was made, by god, to face reality for once, taking away any route that led to running.

She wouldn't be able to write and shut off her mind to avoid tragedy; her defensive sarcasm was shut down and out to lunch.

She felt robbed of every protection she had ever created for herself.

Running her fingers through her hair in a lame attempt at trying to straighten it out, Julia heard the shower cease its running, a sign that the man she intended on seeing was about to materialize.

It was safe to say that her heart was beating faster and faster as she waited there, her back to the mild steams of sunlight that pushed through the sheer curtains adorning the large open windows. Her anxiousness was reaching an all time high; her chest filling with the apprehension and fear of confronting a person so close to her yet so distant.

Time seemed to slow as he appeared in the door frame, his chest steaming slightly from his recent shower. Julia noticed that he too looked ragged and drained as she stared at his half naked form.

It would have to be stated that though Julia noted his sorrowful expression, it wasn't the first thing she taken stock of.

He was standing there holding her gaze, frozen like a statue, wearing nothing but a white towel around his waist. He clearly hadn't been expecting to see her, judging by the stunned expression on his face.

She was so lost in her inappropriate thoughts that she almost missed his acknowledgement.

"Julie." He said flatly.

"Bruce." Her tone reflected his as she directed her gaze downward.

They were silent, both unsure of what to say.

Julia made the first move deciding that someone had to.

She was certain that silence was going to be the death of her.

"Would you please put some clothes on Bruce, I can barely think with you standing there like that." Julia blurted, slapping her hand to her mouth at the last second.

Well, it seemed her honesty was still intact.

"I'll be right back." He said in the same lifeless tone.

He walked past her and made his way to the large walk in closet on the other side of the room, disappearing from her sight.

After a few minutes had passed, Bruce re-entered, clad in an old shirt and dark flannel pants. Bruce walked over to her slowly, as if walking to his death. He looked as miserable as she did and she wasn't sure how to approach him about the tragic events he undoubtedly felt guilty for. How in the world was she supposed to comfort a person in his condition?

Mentally, she tried to take what she was feeling and times it by a ridiculously large number but that still didn't tell her what she should do or say.

She wanted so badly to hug him and comfort herself as he took a seat beside her, but she was determined to not make it about her for once.

Without turning to look at him, Julia started to speak, keeping her eyes focused at the door in front of her. "Bruce, I need you to pay attention." Her voice whispered out. "I only plan on having to do this once ok?"

While keeping her eyes focused elsewhere, she saw him nod out of the corner of her eye.

The bed shifted as Julia turned to face him, ready to look him in the eye and say what she thought she had to.

"It wasn't your fault."

Bruce's eyes were filled with an emotion that Julia couldn't place.

"Julia – don't do this." Bruce ground out, his jaw clenched tight.

"It wasn't your fault." She repeated patiently. Julia braced herself for an emotional explosion judging by his angry intonation.

This time it was Bruce who couldn't look her in the eye. He took a deep breath in an attempt at calming himself as Julia sat looking on in silence.

"Julie…"

She cut him off. "Bruce, it _wasn't_ your fault."

He took off guard when he turned to her, mirroring her position. Wordlessly he pulled her to him, his grip on her so tight she was sure her sides were going to be slightly bruised. She was rigid from the shock, but eventually finding the presence of mind, slipped her arms around his, gripping him back with all of her grief and pain.

"How could I let her die?"

"Neither you or Batman are infallible Bruce."

Her hands went instinctively around his neck, moving up to hold his head to her while she continued. "She died despite your best efforts to save her." the tears were welling in her own eyes as she went on. "You can't change someone's fate Bruce, and this was Rachel's."

They were still after that, silently helping the other cope. The only comfort being the reassurance of their arms.

That is until Julia's stomach rumbled like thunder with hunger.

Bruce pulled back, looking Julia over thoroughly for the first time. She was still in the dirty, blood stained clothes that he last saw her in and, he was now judging by the loud noises coming from her abdomen, that she hadn't eaten any time recently.

Bruce realized that she looked rather embarrassed by his wordless staring.

"You should take a shower." Bruce said, staring into her eyes intently.

"Do I smell that bad?" She retorted with ease.

Bruce raised an eyebrow.

Julia fought back the urge to smile. "I'll need something to wear."

"I think we can take care of that."

"Are you going to be ok alone?" Julia asked, feeling as though she had reignited her long lost connection with the man in front of her.

"I was just thinking the same about you."

"We're never really alone in this place, there's always Alfred. The man's omniscience can be frightening sometimes."

Bruce gave a tight lipped smile and rose from the edge of the bed. "Towels are by the sink."

"Bruce?"

He turned and waited.

"Things will never be the same, will they?" Julia asked quietly.

Bruce's answer was simple. "No, they won't."

x.x.X.x.x

Standing under the burning hot jets of water, Julia pictured the act washing away all her grief. Water was cleansing, renewing, and she wanted nothing more than a clean slate to start from.

She braced herself by putting her palms on the wall in front, leaning into it as the scorching hot water pounded down on her skull. Tears were falling with the excess liquid while she stood and dealt with the events of the last day and a half. The consuming grief of losing someone so close had preoccupied her, helping her to push away the memory of her earlier abduction. It hadn't been long but it had been the most traumatizing thing Julia had ever gone through; the mental games they played coupled with the tantalizingly cruel physical abuse would cause anyone to go deep within themselves to forget it.

She recounted the torture as she stood there, as the water relaxed her sore muscles, and recounted everything that had been done to her. Everything from the touching to the cutting, the hitting and verbal abuse was fresh in her minds eye. She could feel the stinging in her right thigh, the mark of which she received as she tore away and fled.

All in all she thought it could have been much worse. The last thing she planned on doing was feeling sorry for herself; after all, she had made it out alive.

That was something.

The pruning of her fingers made her shut the water off, standing there steaming and dripping wet just as she assumed Bruce had done before her. She reached out of the curtain and grabbed the towel she had laid out, rubbing every memory and frustration off of her skin.

She forgot how good it felt to be clean.

Wrapping the towel around her, she went to the sink and grabbed a toothbrush, uncaring of the fact that it wasn't hers. She brushed and sighed in ecstasy as the bristles cleaned and massaged her gums, leaving behind a soothing minty taste.

It seemed that Bruce had delivered some old clothes, leaving them on the toilet seat. Julia said a silent thank you as she put on the sweatpants and t-shirt, having to go out clad in nothing but a towel would have been nothing short of disconcerting.

'_What is wrong with me?' _Julia thought bitterly. _'How could I even think about that at a time like this?'_

She made her way back into the open, loft like bedroom feeling fresh and calm. Ahead of her, Bruce stood facing one of wall paneled windows staring out into the daylight.

"There's food on the nightstand." Julia understood his motive and diverted her course and steered her way to the nightstand. She had seen this side to Bruce once, when life had dealt him another similar blow with the loss of his parents years before.

He needed the detachment and time in silence, and Julia wasn't about to rob him of the moment of thought he seemed to be consumed in.

So she sat and nibbled numbly on the provided ham sandwich and waited. The silence threatening to choke with every minute that passed.

The stayed in companiable silence; Bruce staring out at Gotham, pain etching his handsome features. Julia stared at nothing and trying her best to fill her stomach with nutrition.

"Start at the beginning Julia." Bruce finally said, pulling the befuddled woman from her trance like state. He still kept his back to her, maintaining what Julia assumed was a necessary detachment from her.

Unsure of where to start, Julia took a moment to comprise her thoughts and memories. She took a deep breath and before she started, deciding then to give him the summarized version.

Reliving all the details was too much for her in her present state.

"I was at Arkam, doing research when they found me. Earlier that day, I had handed in my resignation to my Editor and decided that I wanted to focus on uncovering the Jokers identity."

Bruce turned his head to her then with a look of pure anger. "I told you not to draw attention Julie."

"I didn't _Bruce_. I was trying to remove myself from sight and I thought that leaving the Gazette was a good start to that plan." She defended feeling irritated by his tone.

"After I left the office I drove to the narrows and weaseled my way into the Arkam archives in hopes that I would find something that led to the Joker. It was a hunch, but I thought that someone as insane as he might have been admitted at an early age. I didn't get far before they kicked me out, telling me that my time was up. By that time it was dark," she paused when she saw the look of irritation of Bruce's face. "I know, I know. I should have paid better attention to the time but that place is like a black hole. I didn't think it would be too risky seeing as the car wasn't far from the entrance but I wasn't even out the door for two minutes before a man grabbed me and pulled me into a near by ally."

Bruce had turned away again, making it hard for Julia to continue.

"Someone must have recognized me and ran to his lackey's, I can't think of any other way that they would have found me like that. I think they were waiting for me to leave."

She saw Bruce nod slightly.

"I was thrown into the back of a van, white I think, with Harvey Dent. Two of the kidnappers stayed in the back with us, one watching Harvey and the other on me. They…they wanted information about Batman; his identity, location, anything. I didn't say anything; I just sat there as they tried to get me to speak. I know now that isn't the best method." Julia pulled her knees to her chest, hugging herself for comfort.

"Harvey tried to help," her voice was shaking now. "but after a few minutes of his struggling they knocked him out cold. It wasn't as bad as it sounds. Looking back they could have done much worse."

"What did they do?" He asked softly

"No."

"No?" Bruce asked confused.

"No, I will not tell you in detail what happened. It won't help with your grief Bruce."

"I have to know Julia, tell me."

"No, it's not yours to know." Julia snapped.

Bruce looked angrier than ever.

"Julia, I'm not asking you I'm telling you – tell me what they did." Bruce said through clenched teeth.

"You're not my protector Bruce." Julia said standing up.

He swung around to face her, his eyes squinted with rage.

"What?" He bellowed making Julia flinch involuntarily.

"You heard me." She said calmly. "There is no need for you to beat yourself up for something that has already happened and can't be taken back."

"So you expect me to try and forget that you were almost killed by the same men that killed Rachel in the end?"

"Damnit Bruce, stop being so damn selfish! I didn't want to relive it but seeing as you're still as self-centered as ever – here!!" She exploded, pulling her shirt up to show the bruises across her abdomen.

"They punched me, slapped me, and threw me around like a fucking doll! They held a knife to my neck and spat in my face telling me I was going to die! Is that what you want to hear you son of a bitch!" She was screaming now, throwing her hands up in anger as she broke down for the millionth time that day.

"What do you want from me Bruce?" Julia yelled out at him, wanting to see his face change from its neutral expression.

It did change but she wasn't sure how to read it. While trying to figure out what to say next, Julia failed to notice that he was striding right up to her.

By the time she looked up to see him, he had already pulled her into his arms. Without any hesitation their lips clashed together, the desperation of the act apparent to both of them.

It was rough at first, their tempers creating a passionate beginning as they tried to find comfort within each others lips. Julia ran her hands through the hair at the base of his neck, tugging and pulling as they explored one another without restriction. Bruce in turn cupped her face tightly as he took her mouth with his, holding nothing back. He needed her - but more importantly, he knew now – she needed him.

**;) CAUTION! – CAUTION! – CAUTION! ;)**

Without waiting for any further encouragement, Bruce bent down, his lips never leaving hers, and lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around him as he walked, lost in the heated kisses he was lavishing on her. Their tongues battled one another effortlessly; both fighting for dominance in the kiss, trying to disprove that the other was stronger.

He knelt down and laid her gently upon the bed, shifting his weight to his elbows as he hovered over her. Pulling back from the intoxication, Bruce caressed her cheek and communicated with his eyes. Julia looked back and nodded in silent understanding, wanting - no, needing this moment with him.

Dropping his head down, Bruce captured her lips again. It was different than before, there was tenderness now as they slowly tasted one another, relishing in the release they now felt.

Julia let her hands roam down his tough unyielding back, making their way to the hem of the shirt that was obstructing her desire to feel the skin underneath.

Bruce let out a breath when he felt her hands pulling at his shirt, the sensations overwhelming his already clouded judgment.

Leaning back from her, Bruce pulled off the shirt and threw carelessly to the floor. He moved back down, moving his attentions to her neck. Julia moaned as he licked and nipped at her neck; her mind now completely blank. She was no longer thinking about Rachel or the Joker or the abuse she experienced.

The only thing that she knew was that she felt good. Better than she had in weeks.

Feeling more and more like herself, Julia took control, pushing and rolling so as to straddle him. Without any hesitation she pulled her shirt over her head, throwing it to the side before resuming their emotionally charged kisses.

It was Bruce's turn to let his hands roam, grabbing every part of her he could manage. He grabbed her thighs as she ground into him, kissing her harder as they thrust together. She scraped her nails against his chest, rubbing herself against his full on erection like a wild thing.

Julia dominance didn't last long. Bruce, frantic to feel as much of her as he could, pushed her back with a shove to her shoulders. She fell back against the pillows with a light laugh, forgetting the guilt that came from feeling happiness at such a time. Her laugh faded as he hooked is hands in the waist band of her borrowed pants, pulling them teasingly slow.

Their eyes were locked as Bruce undressed her, pulling her last article of clothing off. He looked down at her and fought the now undeniable truth. She was everything he wanted, everything he thought he would never have.

She was everything he ever wanted to love.

His hands roamed up her calves, inching their way up to her thighs causing her to shiver at the lightness of the caress. Julia reveled in the pressure of his lips as he kissed his way up her naked and exposed body.

Julia reached down and pulled him on top of her, her eyes glazed over with need.

"One of us has too many clothes on." She muttered, catching him in another heated kiss.

Bruce laughed and answered the back with a small grunt as she pulled his own pants down. Her body tingled with excitement as she felt his hot, stiff erection pulse against her thigh.

There would be no turning back now.

Sliding down her body, Bruce lavished her skin with kisses as he worked his way down to her breasts. He took her rose hued nipple into his mouth, moaning as he heard her intake of breath. He bit down slightly, the small bud blooming as he licked and cupped her breast. His massaged her chest as he moved for her other side, licking and kissing her swollen mound of flesh intently.

Julia moaned, throwing her head back in to the bed. Her vision swimming as she felt him move lower, his kisses now reaching her belly button.

"Bruce." She moaned, knowing exactly what he intended to do.

She wasn't sure if she was encouraging him to continue or if she was trying to tell him to stop, he could throw her out a window for all she cared at that moment.

Apparently taking it as encouragement, Bruce settled himself between her wet thighs and stroked her swollen bud with his tongue.

Julia almost screamed out as she felt sensations pulse through that she hadn't felt in years. She fisted the duvet, trying to keep herself grounded to earth.

Thrusting her hips upward, Julia added to the friction building up with her. He lapped at her with small strokes, sliding two fingers into her, losing all inhibition and restraint. He moaned into her sex when he felt shivers rack her body. He knew then that she was close so he sped up, now slamming his fingers in and out of her. He took her clit into his mouth and sucked her hard, finally succeeding in making her scream out in her release.

Color exploded behind Julia's eyelids as she climaxed, hard. She screamed out without a second thought as wave after wave of pleasure pulsed through her soft body. She could vaguely feel Bruce stroking her folds with his hand, calming her as she came down from the intense sensations.

She opened her eyes to see his hazel orbs looking down into hers, a glint of amusement lingering in them.

"Even without speaking, you exude smugness Wayne." She said dryly.

The corner of his mouth twitched at her remark.

She was still the same Julia.

Holding that strong gaze, he nudged her thighs apart with his knees kissing her as he found comfort in the mirroring of emotion in her eyes.

The eyes that started their individual roads of realization almost eight years ago.

He thrust into her hard, his need to find solace overwhelming. They moaned together as they rocked back and forth slowly, staring at each other in awe mixed with lust.

Bruce began moving faster, beads of sweat forming on his back as he thrust with everything he had. They were both breathing hard, gasping for air as they grunted and moaned without thinking.

Bruce flipped them over, keeping his hard length inside her as she adjusted to the new position. Without losing a beat, Julia kept up their motion and speed, bouncing urgently on top of him, her nails scraping his chest and abdomen. His moans became louder as she slammed down on his cock, her breasts jiggling wildly as she rode him violently.

He reached up and grabbed one of her breasts, kneading it tersely as his other hand reached around to grab on to her ass as she slowed down, going up and down his cock with slow deliberate motion. Her moans drove him to grab her soft ass and stop her teasing pace, pulling her down on him hard. He thrust up with everything he had, almost yelling out at the sensation it caused.

They both felt the inevitable sensations build up within them and shatter as they came together, the increased speed taking them over the edge.

Julia did yell out, (completely ignoring the mortifying thought that Alfred was near by) as she collapsed onto his chest feeling the waves of heat wash over her for the second time. Bruce jerked and bucked beneath her, moaning her name as he lost himself as well, marveling at the sensations filtering through his body.

They stayed like that for a while, taking in everything that they had just done; breathing in the scent of their insistent love-making.

Then, out of nowhere – Julia laughed.

She laughed hard.

Bruce grabbed her shoulders and held her away so as to see her better, concerned with her reaction.

"What is it?"

She tried to answer him but instead laughed harder, if that were even possible.

Bruce was starting to get worried when she finally managed to form words.

"You…you…ah!" she laughed out, amusing Bruce immensely.

He gave her a minute, letting her try and regroup. When she succeeded, he almost laughed.

Trying to maintain a straight face Julia looked down at him, hoping to god she could maintain some element of composure. "You've learned some new moves since last time."

Bruce laughed then, feeling free for the first time in years.

"You have no idea." He smirked, pulling her down for another kiss.

**;)** **CAUTION OVER! - CAUTION OVER! ;)**

"Bruce?" Julia asked hours later, her body intertwined with his.

"Hmm?" Came his sleepy mumble.

"Is this wrong?" she asked, stroking his toned abdomen absently.

"What do you mean?"

"With everything that's happening, it's just…well I mean…I suppose I feel guilty." She finished lamely.

"Julie, this isn't wrong." He spoke softly as he turned on his side to face her. He knew exactly how she felt, that they shouldn't be seeking out the good in life, but mourning the loss that life had dealt them.

He wouldn't say it out loud, but he knew that without a reminder of the positive, the darkness would consume a person.

He of all people had first hand knowledge in that arena.

Julia nodded and resettled herself into the crook of his shoulder, breathing steadily until she felt the comfort of sleep take her over, distracting her from the conflicting thoughts on the matter at hand.

x.x.X.x.x

Bruce opened his eyes, confused as to the lack of weight on his arm. When he had fallen asleep she had been there. His lack of cloths proved to him that it wasn't a dream, it had been real, she had been real.

He sat up and looked around the room seeing no sign of her.

That is until he saw something that almost made him laugh at the irony. Sitting on his night stand, was a note with _'Bruce',_ written in Julia's familiar scrawl.

x.x.X.x.x

Authors Note Cont.: There it is folks! Thanks to each and every one of you that's reviewed, and a special thank you to **waynegirl1024** for the PM that made me get this chappie out sooner rather than later.

I hope the ending was as amusing to you as it was to me….Julia is currently in hypocrite city. Perhaps this will knock her off her slightly righteous high horse….maybe. ;)

Also I apoligize for any errors in this, at sixteen pages I eventually got bleary eyed trying to edit this t perfection. Hopefully it isnt too atrocious!

I just read the above and it sounds like thats the end of the story......is SOOO isnt! Many more chapters to go!

New poll on my profile....."Do you despise Julia at the moment??" I would love to know!


	19. Sense and Sensibility

Thank you to every single reviewer! I tried to reply to everyone's responses to the last chapter, if I missed you somehow know that I love you and appreciate your words and support! Hope you all enjoy the update!

You learn a little bit more of the early Julia and Bruce. (I think it's adorable. I envisioned this and wrote it out ages ago!)

* * *

Chapter Seventeen: Sense and Sensibility Part I

Julia's feet grazed the finely ground sediment as she swayed back and forth on the playground swing. It was early morning, the suns brazen arrival just beginning to show on the horizon. Blocking the chill and sound, Julia kept on absent mindedly, her mind lost in a whirl of memories that she couldn't evade.

With the memories flowing through her it was inevitable that tears would run. She knew full well that this would happen; it was exactly what she had intended for herself.

Swinging lightly back and forth, Julia dealt with the internal battles that had plagued her since her return to Gotham.

But mostly she let herself grieve for the loss of her friend.

Conversations recently had with the now deceased Assistant DA were rolling over her, their childhood playing out like an old film reel before her eyes.

This was where it all began for them. Right here, in this swing, in the most urban park in the city.

Meeting the young and fairly outgoing Bruce Wayne and Rachel Dawes had been one of the most embarrassing times in Julia's life. Her father had worked with the prominent Thomas Wayne as one of Wayne Enterprises most valued and respected engineers and as a result, met with the famous billionaire for numerous family outings. Julia remembered the first one like it was yesterday.

x.x.X.x.x

"_Julia come on sweetheart." William LaPointe coaxed gently, prying his five year old daughters hands off the handle of their car. _

"_I don't want to go daddy." Julia mumbled shyly._

"_Why is that sweetheart?" He asked, kneeling don to her eye level. _

_The little girl shook her head slowly, her pig tales swaying with the motion. _

"_Julia." He pushed._

"_I don't want to play with a boy." She whispered carefully with an innocence that made her father chuckle. _

_He shook his head slightly as he said something that he never thought would come out of his mouth. "Boys aren't that bad sweetheart, I'm sure that you'll be fast friends."_

"_What if he's mean to me?" She asked as she let go of the car and took her fathers hand. _

"_Then come and tell me and Mr. Wayne right away and we'll make sure he doesn't do it again."_

"_I'm not a tattle tale dad." Julia whined. _

_William laughed heartily as they made their way through the grass and toward the busting playground. "Then I suppose punishment will be up to your judgment then Rollo."_

"_Hmn." She murmured nodding her head firmly, her confidence renewed._

_They walked hand in hand, Julia skipping lightly out of necessity while trying to keep up with her father's long strides. _

"_Thomas!" She heard him exclaim as he shook the hand of another tall and friendly looking man._

"_And who's this?" Thomas Wayne asked with the friendliest smile Julia had ever seen._

"_Julia LaPointe Sir." She answered without thinking, sticking out her hand. _

_Bill looked at his daughter with a large amount of shock. It had only been seconds ago that he could barely get her away from the car. This was his little girl who was too afraid to ask for anything when at the grocery store or who hid behind his legs when introduced to new people. _

_His heart pounded with pride as well as with fear as he watched his little girl grow up right before his eyes. She had no idea that she had clearly amused the most famous man on the east coast. _

"_Very pleased to meet you." Wayne accepted her small hand in trust. _

_The two men shared a knowing look while Julia looked between them confused. _

"_Dad, can I go play?"_

"_Get out of here you little rascal." He responded with a ruffle of her wavy brown locks._

_Not missing a beat, Julia ran to the nearest swing and jumped on, pumping her legs furiously as she struggled to create a fast and powerful momentum. Who needed to play with other kids when you could swing? Perhaps if she stayed on the swings all afternoon she wouldn't have to meet a boy._

"_Be careful, not so high Rollo!" Mr. LaPointe called out from the bench he and Mr. Wayne were seated on. His daughter was flying entirely too high for his tastes. _

_Julia didn't say anything back but giggled and waved to her smiling father. _

_The two men turned away from her after she slowed down, giving her the opportunity to do something that she knew would make her father mad if he saw. Julia kicked her feet back and forth quickly and before she could chicken out the young girl launched off the rubber seat and into the air. _

_It wasn't until she had already started flying that a boy ran right into her landing path, grabbing a big red ball. _

_A scream was caught in her throat as she flew at the boy, time seemingly moving at the slowest rate possible._

_They collided with a thud and a scream from Julia as she knocked the boy down with force. Hearing the boy groaning beneath her she rolled off him and tried to breathe._

_Nothing was happening. _

"_Bruce!" she heard in the distance. "Julia!" She heard again, but this time the voice was much more panicked. _

"_Bruce, are you alright?" Thomas asked nervously as he knelt next to his son._

_The young heir nodded. "I think she's hurt though." He said quietly with a small nod at the brunette girl that impaled him. _

_William was next to his daughter, hyperventilating as he tried to help her catch her breath._

"_Rub her back Bill; it will help her system calm down." Thomas said as he moved over to the girl and knelt in front of her to help. _

"_Don't be afraid sweetheart, let the breath come." He said soothingly._

_Something about his sure and loving voice made Julia calm instantly. Before she knew it she was gulping in air faster than she could register it, feeling the sweet breath of life. _

_Leaving Mr. LaPointe to comfort his daughter, Thomas went to his son who was looking on with a fearful expression._

"_Dad, is she ok?"_

"_She's fine Bruce, but I would like to know what happened."_

_Bruce looked over to look at Julia, noticing that she had paled at the question. _

_He smiled. _

_He knew what it was like to do things he wasn't supposed to do._

"_I was running to get the ball and I knocked her over. I wasn't watching where I was going."_

"_I think you should go and apologize then and maybe ask her to join you and Rachel."_

_Bruce made a face._

"_That's not a request young man." _

_Reluctantly Bruce walked through the grass to the girl, keeping his head down, acting as if he was ashamed. _

"_I'm sorry I knocked you down." He mumbled._

_Julia stared up at the strange boy confused. Seeing this, Bruce gave her a wide-eyed nod hoping she understood what he was doing. _

"_Oh. S'ok." She croaked out._

"_Do you want to play with me and my friend?" he continued._

_Julia looked up at her very amused father who merely nodded. _

"_Sure." _

_Bruce smiled. "Come on." _

_Julia took his extended hand and pulled her small frame up with a huff. _

"_Be careful you two!" Thomas yelled as the two walked away._

"_Try not to break anything!" William added afterword._

_The two men looked at each other and turned to go back to their bench. _

"_Looks like fate intervened eh?" Thomas Wayne laughed with a jovial essence._

"_She's a force of nature, just like her mother. I hope he can handle her." _

"_Bruce is always up for a good challenge."_

_Meanwhile, the two children in question were having a conversation of their own. It was short and sweet, but it cemented what would be a life long friendship. _

"_Why did you tell your dad that you knocked me over?" Julia asked shyly, keeping her eyes to the ground as they walked to the merry-go-round where the boys other friend Rachel was waiting._

"_I'm not a tattle tale." He said smugly but smiled all the same. _

_Julia grinned ear to ear. Maybe boys weren't so bad after all._

x.x.X.x.x

Julia snapped back to reality with a painful sob, gripping the chains of the swing tightly enough to make her knuckles go white. The memories seemed so distant to her now and it frightened her. Would she forget the sound of Rachel's voice? Would her image fade into the past as she welcomed new faces in the future? Every single one of those thoughts brought her closer to losing the last bit of sanity she had.

Furthermore, Julia seemed to be understanding her recent actions and what they might mean to her future. The morning's brisk air hit her tear streaked face and caused involuntary chills to rack her jacketless body.

Julia embraced the shivering, her misery dictated that she do so.

Her sobs continued unhindered as she finally conceded to the now undeniable fact.

Decisions were going to have to be made. Tough decisions – choices that Julia didn't even know she had avoided for the past decade.

'_Leave it to Rachel to confound me even in death.'_ She thought bitterly, twisting about in the swing – again, lost to her thoughts.

* * *

"Alfred, would you please stop looking at me like that." Bruce said casually across the kitchen island, elbows resting casually on the countertop.

"I was of the opinion that you possessed ethical reasoning." Alfred said evenly.

"Are you more worried that you might be wrong or that she won't come back?" Bruce fired back levelly.

"Neither sir, I am merely worried that you may have down more damage to the poor girl than saving."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Bruce said tiredly.

"It means that you took advantage of a very generous and confused woman. Better than that, you may have ruined any head way that has been gained with Julia since her return." Alfred said with an unusual bluntness. Bruce couldn't help but notice that the butler's sense of mirth didn't seem to go away entirely, even when using his most stern tone.

"I think you're over reacting Alfred."

"Perhaps, but someone has to tell you when you're an ass."

"Dually noted."

"That's all I'll say on the matter today, as much as I worry for the damage done to Ms. Julia I do care about your well being as well. You've suffered more than enough, I will not add to that with my old fashioned opinions." He said with a small smirk, setting a plate of dry scrambled eggs in front of the billionaire.

"I have no idea what to do anymore Alfred. How could I have let this happen?"

"It's my experience sir that events such as these happen for a reason. Perhaps this is another event in your life intended to give you a higher purpose." The old man suggested wisely.

"I think I have enough in the way of higher purposes Alfred." Bruce said depressively.

"However you take this Master Bruce, however you deal with the turmoil in your heart and head, do not let her death be in vain. Rachel deserved better than that." And with a squeeze of Bruce's shoulder, Alfred walked out, leaving the young man to deal with his conflictions.

Bruce leaned away from the plate of steaming eggs and pondered the old butler's words, wondering if there would ever be an end to his laundry list of mistakes.

* * *

"Bruce? Alfred?" Julia called, walking timidly into the expansive living room of Bruce's Penthouse. She was hesitant but decidedly sure about what she was now about to do. She had been gone for most of the day, going to the many places she remembered form her childhood (including Wayne Manor, or rather the construction site of the new Manor.) just trying to piece parts of her person back together.

It helped tremendously, more than she thought possible, but it still didn't take away the pang of sadness and bitterness that her friend's death had created. For the first time in the last days she had experienced, she felt more like her old, sassy, determined self. A development that she hoped wouldn't be too fragile for the circumstances ahead. Life was going to change, and with that she would need all her strength to come out improved rather than unchanged.

She took a corner and found herself peering into Bruce's bedroom finding it desolate and dark. Moving on through the hall she found a small source of light coming from underneath a closed door, and hope swelled. She was starting to think that he was out, fulfilling his nightly occupation, something she didn't think he would be ready for quite yet.

Quite unexpectedly, the door to the library swung open rather harshly – revealing a more than furious Bruce Wayne. The light blinded Julia momentarily but as soon as she saw his rigid grimace she knew that she was in for a very bad start.

They were going to tear each other to pieces.

And they both knew it.

There were too many double standards and hypocrisies between them now – and it seemed that Bruce had used his time in a similar way.

Or so she assumed.

"You said you would be gone for the morning Julia, not the entire damn day."

Julia felt the displaced emotions rise within her, begging for release.

"I don't answer to you or anyone else Bruce, and it's about time you realized that." She countered as she pushed past him and made her way into the illuminated room.

"That's not the point."

"Then what is the point?" Julia pressed, throwing her purse on the boxy suede couch.

"The point is you should have at least said where you were going."

"I'm a grown woman and everything was fine. I'm here now and I'm safe." Julia swept her arm in gesture at herself, indicating the obvious. "So if you don't mind, I would like to actually have a reasonable conversation with you about things that actually need talking about."

Bruce froze.

Julia smiled.

The gesture threw Bruce for a loop. She wasn't angry. She wasn't lifeless and acting tired and sad.

Instead, she was as she was before this mess had all started.

Bruce was worried; Bruce was curious.

"Such as?" He asked, reclaiming his ability to wipe the emotion off his face.

"I'm going to leave Gotham upon the request of Commissioner Gordon."

Relief flooded through Bruce, making him turn into the room fully and close the door behind him.

This conversation seemed to be much better than he assumed.

"I'm glad you're able to see some reason for once." Bruce smirked.

Julia scowled. He wasn't nearly serious enough for her liking.

"Thank you." She spat out sarcastically. "You should know though, that I won't leave until after the funeral."

Bruce's expression took a turn. "That could take more than a week Julie."

"I am aware but I will not leave until I get that closure."

"You could leave and come back."

"Really Bruce, what is your issue? Is it that you can't control something or is it because you actually care?"

"You could die Julia." He said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

He was also deathly calm.

"So could you." She muttered.

"_That's_ irrelevant." Bruce ground out.

"Perhaps you would understand if I explained it better." Julia said, mostly to herself.

Bruce quirked his eyebrow and crossed his arms, preparing for anything.

"I won't be coming back once I leave, well for awhile at least." She added making sure to keep away from making eye contact.

Silence.

Julia decided to continue, feeling that this was probably a good opportunity to just come out with it.

"You're likely wondering what I mean. It's just, well…where to I start?" Julia spoke absently, scratching her head nervously.

"I have wanted to go to Europe for some time, and I think that traveling there and seeing dad would help me get back on track."

Bruce interrupted. "Bill's in Europe?"

"Yeah, he's been in Bordeaux for about seven years."

They were both silent for a minute, making Julia more anxious.

"I have had some job offers doing freelance work, liaising with Time Magazine and some other international publications. I plan on taking them up on the opportunities and that means I'll be gone for an indefinite amount of time." She started to blurt out quickly. "This is why I won't leave now. I'll be packing and keeping out of trouble, well as long as it doesn't come straight at me, and I have every intention of being here to say good-bye to Rach."

"Why did you decide to leave now?" Bruce inquired as he tried to keep a reign on his temper and emotion.

"You know the answer as well as I do."

"Don't play games Julie."

"There are no games Bruce, you already know why I'm leaving – that's why you asked the damn question!" Julia exploded.

"After all this time of accusing me of leaving you, you decide to do the same thing."

His bitter tone chipped at her heart.

"I'm not leaving because of you Bruce." She said patiently.

She had expected this.

"Why did you leave this morning?" He demanded.

"I needed to think."

"About?" He coaxed.

"This masochistic relationship that we have created." Julia said strongly.

"What the hell does that mean?" Bruce was a bit turned around.

"It means that this is toxic. This connection we have is so diluted and unbalanced! We could never be together and you know it just as well as I do!" Julia shouted out causing Bruce to stalk forward at her.

"What do you mean by that?" Bruce wasn't willing to take anything out of context. He had every intention of understanding what she meant.

"I mean that your _you_." Julia emphasized. "I am only a distraction to you and what you need to do."

"That's not true."

"It's also not the point." She was about to blow and say everything she most likely shouldn't.

"I have made every major decision in my adult life based on you. I chose investigative journalism because you disappeared. I moved away to the other side of the country because you weren't here anymore. I left Princeton because of you. I came back to Gotham because you were here! Everything Bruce!" She was becoming a bit hysterical as she spoke. "I let the fact that I was in love with you dictate my life and now its time that I live for me!"

Bruce's brows creased together, his jaw was clenched tight as he took in what she had said. "Did you just say your in love with me?" he said without thought. It would seem that Julia pulled out the less collected aspect of him.

Moreover, how in the hell could she be in love with him; after everything he had done…

Julia grabbed her purse and made for the door, pausing as she came past Bruce. She looked ahead, her body parallel to his. She moved her mouth but nothing but air came out. Again it seemed that she had slipped up.

Without saying anything, Julia opened the door and left.

"Where are you going?" Bruce called without moving an inch.

"Home." Her voice carried down the hall and he didn't miss the finality or confidence that it held.

Bruce couldn't help but think that his brain was too full of turmoil. It was time he stopped being sucked into his selfishness and got back to what his purpose was. She was right. He wouldn't be able to do what he had to do if she were always around him.

* * *

Note form Trisky: So I'm sorry the update took so long. Things have been a bit rough for me lately. School is taking its toll on my sanity, not to mention the state of our economy right now. I am struggling at the moment with a bout of depression and trying to not turn to addictive sources like I have previously. (Nothing crazy I assure you.) Things have just been overwhelming in my life and I needed to find some other outlet. (This has left me with sleeping or doing very adrenaline pumping activities.) I won't bore you with the details of my life any longer though, but just know that I hadn't forgotten about the story or you!

Some have requested a picture of how I see Julia, and well, I have reservations about this. I just have to put a lot of thought into it. I don't want to pick a celebrity that sort of looks like how I picture her because I hate the idea of them always being in your head instead of Jules.

I will keep looking though and post something when I find it! ;)

Thanks for everything guys and have a rad Thanksgiving! (It's in a few weeks! Yay Turkey!)

*Trisk


	20. Black and White

I will preface this chapter by apologizing for not responding to the reviews for the last chapter. It was rude of me and I would hate for you to think that what you say doesn't matter to me or this story.

Thank you for reviewing and keeping this story alive with your feedback. Thank you to those also that read but don't review – my hope is that you keep coming back to see how it ends and maybe one day....review!

On with it……the real note (if you care to read my rambles) will be at the end. ;)

Oh! This one goes out to **MyDirtyLittleSecret**. Your review almost made me cry...Hopefully I'll get a chance to tell you why...so this ones for you and your new baby!

So....this story has had 39,362 hits. Now if every person reviewed, well that would certainly be a lot - and rather crazy. As is though, that means that only 1 reader per every 141 is reviewing. I say this not only for myself, but for every writer out there....we can do better than that! If you write on here then you know how redeeming it feels to get a review for something you've written.

So make sure to review!

* * *

Chapter Eighteen: Black and White

Ringing?

Buzzing?

What the hell _was_ that noise?

Julia stirred on her bed, her mind trying to work through its groggy state as she tried to register the nagging sound that woke her.

"Ughh." She groaned dramatically, slapping her hand on her nightstand in hopes that the noise was her alarm. After a moment it was obvious that this wasn't the case.

Pulling herself up onto her arms she looked around, her watery eyes looking about her room for no apparent reason. Rubbing them, she threw her duvet back and swung her legs out, her feet touching the cold and barren wooden flooring, sparking chills that shot to her very core.

Making her way down her hallway, murmuring words unfit for a sailor to say, she realized that the persistent noise was that of a phone - her home phone.

Only two people had her new number.

Sleep forgotten, Julia lunged for the phone and answered. "Jim?" She asked into the phone, falling casually onto her windowsill, bracing herself hazily for bad news.

"I need your help." He said, bypassing any pleasantries. "What do you know about the Joker?"

"Is that a trick question?" Julia quipped sleepily.

"I need a profile and you're the only one I can think of that could get any records on the bastard."

Julia laughed at the situation. "What, deciding to treat me like the adult I am now?"

"Julia, this is a serious request."

"Fine, fine." Julia muttered. "Cant blame a woman for dealing a blow when the situation presents itself."

"Please tell me you have something, anything. I have hardly anything in the way of credible leads." The commissioner all but pleaded.

But Julia being the trained journalist she was, she didn't bite. Why would he presume that she would have leads on the Joker, and further, why would he go so far as to draw her into a situation that he had been doing his best to keep her out of? It didn't add up.

"Jim, why is it you think I have anything on the Joker?"

Silence. She had him and he knew it.

"I assumed that if you were researching Batman that you're naturally keen mind would have pursued the Joker as well." Gordon rushed in explanation.

"Jim, tell me how you know I was working on anything related to this lunatic and I will give you everything I have." Julia countered. She already had her answer but she wanted to hear it aloud.

"I don't think that's such a great idea."

Julia seethed as she pulled herself up and made her way to the kitchen for a cup of coffee. She held her biting remarks inside though, holding to her personal goal of being sensible. "I want to make a deal with you." She spoke plainly. "I need some time to go out today. There are…things that I need to take care of." She added tentatively.

Gordon caught on quickly, so he prompted her to go on. "Such as?"

"I would like to go to Gotham General and speak privately with Harvey Dent."

"Out of the question."

"Jim, I'll go with or without the escort that you seem to deem so necessary. I am simply trying to negotiate with you and create a situation that we can all be pleased with."

'_See, sensible. That wasn't too hard_.' Julia internalized as she readied her coffee components.

Jim was hesitant but determined to see things as levelly as she currently was. It was a miracle to him that she was being so rational. "Fine, but there will be an officer in the room with you."

"No, outside the door is the closest thing I'll agree to, I would like to insure that this is as private a meeting as possible." Julia emphasized as she poured cream into her coffee.

Jim relented with a sizable grunt.

"So, now that we have that cleared up, I would again like to ask you how you came to believe I had anything useful for your agenda. It hardly seems likely you would call me and ask me about something that you know sets me off."

"When did you become so sensible?" Gordon scoffed.

Julia almost let her self do a happy dance. Her efforts weren't in vain it seemed.

"Since my best friend was murdered and I was forced to take time to evaluate things." Julia threw back after taking a sip of her hazelnut coffee.

"Julia I'm so sorry-"

"Jim," Julia interrupted. "I know you didn't mean anything by it but for me personally it's important to know who told you. It got out that I was researched Batman and look where that got me."

"You wont like it." He countered, hoping to detour her endless curiosity.

"I already know, please just confirm it."

"He seems to be a mutual friend."

"Does his 'name' happen to start with a _B_ and end with _man_?" Julia cut through, having had enough of the entirely unneeded evasiveness. The sensibility was losing out and her defensive sarcasm was beginning to rear its ugly head.

"Maybe."

The look Julia imagined on Gordon's face was a priceless one. She could almost see the regretful smirk her godfather wore at the confession. Laughing, she decided to let it go, for now. She would take it up with the one person that took part in the hypocrisy that the telling of this information held.

"Alright then, how about I drop off what I have on my way to the hospital?" She suggested, as she began to wander around her boxed up apartment aimlessly.

"No, you stay in the car and one of my men will come and bring them in to me. I understand one of them needs to be relieved from the night shift anyway." His tone was serious and business like, proving further that he took his job to heart. Julia never questioned a plan when it was outlined by the man that was mentored by her own mother.

"Sounds like a plan." Julia said, bringing an end to their abnormally pleasant conversation. The last few days had been heated with arguments between the two, ranging from their disagreements about Julia's stay in Gotham to her refusal to hole up in the Wayne Penthouse.

"When will you be leaving?"

"Twenty minutes, give or take a few."

"Be careful Julia, I'm not willing to take any risks where my family's concerned."

Julia froze mid step in her barren hallway.

Sensing the reason for her abrupt silence, Gordon continued. "You're my family Julia, always have been and always will be. We lost you once for too long, and neither Barbara nor I could live knowing we lost you for good."

Julia felt the one tear she was trying to hold back fall down her face at the admission. "I love you too Jim." It was on that note that she clicked her phone off, unwilling to hear her godfather's response to the words she rarely uttered. Love was a very strong word to her, one she wasn't ever willing to use fleetingly. She hardly ever muttered the endearment – it was a notion that her mother and father instilled in her. To say you love someone was to say that they had a piece of your heart. For Julia, that meant that multiple people could shatter her at any given moment if she professed a love for them. But it wasn't just her parent's instilment of the severity of the words that made her so selective – that was all due to life experience.

It was this thought of love and its implications that had weighed heavily on her mind for the last few days. She had been packing since the moment she returned to her apartment from her encounter with Bruce, leaving only to get air with her posted guards. She was in love with Bruce, of that she was painfully aware, but the fact that he would be so oblivious brought her far back into her carefully structured shell. She said it, acted on it – again, and was now dealing with entirely too much of her emotional self. It had always been a complicated balance for her, being the passionate person she was naturally and also being one to hide from her purest and true feelings.

She was a cynic who hated being cynical and a pessimist with an optimism that made her hope that maybe one day she wouldn't be.

That about summed her up in the smallest nutshell possible but it was a good place for her to start. Simplicity had never really dominated her approach to life and it was something she painfully yearned for.

It was that, that simplistic nature, that pure reach into the black and white of life that made Bruce the love of her own.

He was everything she admired and wished she could be. He had always been that way, but his years of exploration and debauchery made him so much more right and good. Confusing - yes. Painfully annoying and overtly arrogant at times, sure – but they were small in comparison to what he gave to her when he was near. The invisible things like the spark and shock of his touch and the familiarity of his downfalls. It was a fair trade off in her mind.

But, his aptitude for recognizing his emotions and acting on them were what would always keep them apart and angry, she knew that now. His was so simplistic and tracked, so clouded with his own thoughts and martyrdom that he was almost incapable of understanding or accepting love. He simply seemed to disregard those types of reflexes and emotions as if they were merely inconveniences, and for Julia, it was more than she could live with.

She lived off all the natural and complex emotions that Bruce ignored.

They really were oil and water, fire and ice…black and white.

She knew why he was the way he was. She understood and remembered vividly the day that took away her best friends ability to love and be loved. Losing those you care deeply for does that to you, and sadly Bruce didn't recognize the kindred confliction that they shared.

But he wouldn't would he – it's typical that those that hurt you most rarely recognize their offense.

He was the reason she couldn't admit love she now realized. His departure from her life had killed the part of her that wanted to trust and lunge into the scary and unpredictable throws of love. Then, that insecurity and fear that had stemmed from such a period of dejection was reinforced with the loss of her mother. The one person that gave Julia hope that the damage done by the billionaire wouldn't be permanent.

So, here she was, crying in her hallway, letting her emotions and realizations bloom back into her mind and energy.

Letting herself mourn and celebrate all at once.

She was going to love. She was going to fight - and by god she was going to live.

With or without Bruce Wayne.

x.x.X.x.x

Walking through the halls of Gotham General was creepy to say the least. Julia had always had a stigma attached to hospitals, making it hard for her to go willingly into its doors. Today was a different circumstance though and she had prepared herself for it. She had to do this for Rachel, it was her obligation. She had her own motivations as well (who wouldn't?) but if Harvey didn't react well then she would push them aside and stick to what she knew was necessary to say.

Her low heeled boots clacked as she made her way through the sterile smelling ICU, the two aforementioned detectives flanking her on both sides. She honestly didn't think it was appropriate but she had made a deal and she had no intention on backing down from it. If the commissioner thought it was needed then she resigned herself to listen and accept it. After all, she had already been battered enough as it was – it was just so suffocating having someone watching your every move.

They passed nurses and doctors and their curious stares, moving towards their destination quickly. Unfortunately, someone as significant as Harvey Dent was sealed up almost as tightly as Julia herself was. It was due to this that she had a very small amount of time with the DA.

The two men stopped and having been a step or so in front of her, it alerted her that they had arrived at her intended destination.

'_Breathe LaPointe, breathe.'_ She chanted to herself, gathering the much need courage that she knew this would take.

With more conviction than she knew she possessed, Julia grabbed the handle and pushed forward into Harvey Dent's hospital room.

It took everything she had to not scream at the sight before her.

She could see the delicate jaw bone that previously was masked by flesh. She saw the muscles that used to be covered along his cheek and mouth. It was gruesome and terrifying to think that something so horrific, something so grotesque could happen to someone so handsome and innocent.

No one deserved such a thing to happen to them, not even Satan himself.

Thankfully, his eyes appeared to be closed. This gave Julia a much needed chance to adjust, hoping that he hadn't heard her rasping breaths as she tried to hold in her tears and suppressed sobs.

After a short minute that consisted of her gaining control over her emotions, Julia walked slowly toward the broken looking man.

Taking a deep breath, she found her voice and began to speak. "Harvey?" she whispered.

Leaning closer to the undefiled side of his face, making sure not to get to near, she tried again. "Harvey? Are you awake?"

"What do you want?" He rasped, his eyes still closed.

Julia began to shake against her own will. Wrapping her arms around her body in an attempt to hold herself together, her mouth began to move and create the words she had been rehearsing in her head for days now.

"I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am that I…" she began to stutter. "…that I didn't get help to you sooner. I wanted to tell you that even though I never really liked you, I never would wish the pain you must be in on my worst adversary."

Harvey grunted harshly.

Julia continued with silent tears, reaching and taking his hand in the most delicate way she could manage. He tensed but didn't yell or flinch as she had expected. "She loved you so much more than I think you know Harvey. You were all she ever talked about it seemed. She would blush and deny it all at first, but I still remember the day she knew she fell in love with you. She said her life felt complete with you in it, as if she had found the missing part of her puzzle."

"I know it wont make the pain go away Harvey and I know that it may not bring you comfort to hear something like this now, but if I didn't come here and say it, well…lets just say I would have one hell of a ghost on my shoulder." Her grip on his hand never faltered but she could tell that he was becoming almost despondent. Her time was almost up.

Before she could go on though, his voice cut through the silence. "She said yes."

Julia jumped out of reflex when she heard him speak, the venom in his voice sending shivers throughout her body.

He pulled his hand back roughly, making his message loud and clear.

"I am sorry Harvey - for everything."

"Sorry won't bring her back." He groaned out, the pain of his heart brutal to her ears.

"I wanted to say thank you for what you did in the van…" But Harvey cut her praise and meekly voiced diatribe with a shout.

"NO! It should have been you! Not her but you! Rachel could still be alive if you hadn't run! It could have been you…"

But Harvey words were lost as Julia was escorted out by one of her protectors with haste. She could hear the now muffled sounds of the broken man as she scurried down the hall in tears, passing by the same grouping of workers as she sobbed and all but ran to the nearest sitting area.

Collapsing moments later on a blue plastic seat, Julia let her head fall into her hands as she let herself cry shamelessly. She was vaguely aware of the man she knew as Greg at her side, trying to comfort her by rubbing her back. She knew. She knew that this was going to end badly, but it was done. She did what she needed to do.

Looking up through her eyelashes, she gave a look to Greg that he merely nodded to. He moved away from her silently, leaving her to thoughts. She needed to pull herself together and she was entirely too self conscious doing in front of someone she honestly hardly knew.

The walls and smells of the hospital were suffocating to her every sense, pulling her sanity and rationality further away from her. She was fighting every instinct that said Harvey was right. That it should have been her that was killed so brutally. She didn't want to let what he said get to her but she couldn't help but internalize it more and more.

She stood up, hoping that some movement would help her shake off her emotion long enough to make it back home and grieve and stew in privacy. Wrapping her arms around her abdomen protectively, she began wondering around the quiet waiting room, moving around slowly as she tried to clear her thoughts. Glancing up at the mounted television in the corner on the far side of the room, Julia noticed briefly that the ever popular Mike Engel was babbling on, introducing a new guest to his show Gotham Tonight.

She couldn't stand that snake of a man. He was even worse than Radcliffe when it came to his cutthroat approach to his profession. That and the fact that he hit on her relentlessly at every gathering they both attended.

Minutes passed by with her passing back and forth, holding her torso while she pulled herself together. It was becoming easier as she moved, almost as if the motion of walking was easing her tension.

Well, that was a technique she was most certainly going to remember. Pacing – who knew?

That was until she heard something that made her body stop and her heart drop into her chest.

Before she knew what was happening, she found herself surrounded by other inhabitants of the hospital, clustering around with the same look of terror as they watched and listened to the menacing voice of the Joker.

"Code red evacuation. Code red evacuation. All medical personnel please initiate emergency evacuation of all patients."

Julia took off with a sprint toward the exit, desperate to help in any way she could.

Little did they know, the residents of Gotham - that the games had only just begun.

* * *

Oi.

Arctic blast during Christmas….check.

Insane college work load….check.

Insomnia….check.

Absence of writing muse….check.

And there you have folks – my life in a nutshell. Things have been so crazy but I updated! I really hope that it doesn't take this long again but I can't make it a promise. I will try really very hard! This term looks bleak and tough but hopefully I will be better organized.

No Bruce this chapter but worry not….he will be back. I did miss him though!

I also want to share that this chapter was written in total silence. It was the strangest thing I think I have ever done. To not have noise was a challenge but it helped a bit with the prose and how Julia was internalizing. I am also editing all the previous chapters and fixing all the little errors in grammar and spelling that I had missed, another thing that took up my time.

This chapter is very transitional I realize but I hope you were into it.

To **vilofied**.....you are more than welcome to add that quote to your page....I would be totally honored!

Again, you guys rock my socks off with your kind and uplifting awesomeness!

I give you Ginger Snap Crackles! (Their coolest cookie I know how to make!)

Happy New Year!

Trisky


	21. A note from Triskywho is sorry

I just wanted to say that I have NOT given up on this story. I have been very ill and dealing with a multitude of hard situations for most of the year. I suffered a miscarriage late last year and haven't been well since. (In my mind anyway.) I have been seeking medical attention since I mentally shut down around April of this year.

Typically, I would write to both explore myself and escape. This was actually discouraged for a slight period of time by my therapist. My physicians weren't sure if it would be healthy for me to lock myself away into an imaginary world when I could hardly function in the real one. That and I was so exhausted from trying to work myself out that I couldn't write something coherent for you if I tried. Instead I wrote about the realities of my life, situations and my dreams.

Thank you for all your wonderful thoughts and predictions, kind comments and encouragement on this fic. Thank you to those that are still reading the small start I have posted and for continuing to put this on alert in hopes I will update.

I will be back soon and these characters will rock your world, I promise. (That and edited versions of the first chapters will go up as well!)

Thanks a mill you guys,

Trisky.


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